Airborne Article with great pics

SRR2R · Post by **SRR2R** » July 14th, 2004, 2:13 pm

Here is an article from a soldier who recently completed Airborne School. It has several nice pics included. The 250 foot tower looks particularly ominous...

http://armybasic.org/portal/modules.php ... le&sid=177

Parabellum · Post by **Parabellum** » July 14th, 2004, 2:21 pm

Why does an electrician need Airborne Training? :?

Vee · Post by **Vee** » July 14th, 2004, 2:24 pm

That is NOT how to keep your feet and knees together!

SRR2R · Post by **SRR2R** » July 14th, 2004, 2:38 pm

The author certainly seemed to have a "half way up the hill" attitude, but I nevertheless found the article to be informative for DEPs and Newts like me who haven't been. I found these snippits particularly interesting,

"One thing that pissed me off is how all the discipline we learned, all the rules we abided by started falling apart as soon as we got back. Soldiers started walking on the grass near the barracks (which was a serious "no-no" during training", disrespecting NCO's, smart-mouthing each other. It was as if, as soon as we received our wings, it was everyman for himself. Our head trainer asked us at the end if we felt we had received anything from the course other than the wings, as in teamwork, etc. I had to say no. There was little teamwork, it was always everyman for himself, believe me. Our section, section 5, was in charge of sweeping and mopping the 5th floor hallway everyday. As far as I know, I was the only guy who ever swept the floor. One time PFC Archer came and helped me mop, but only because we were friends. Teamship? Bullsh*t. It was terrible. "

"Also, let it be known that I was one of the oldest guys in my class to go through Airborne training; I was almost 36 years old. Plenty (over 45) of the 18-21 years old males fell out."

FireFinder · Post by **FireFinder** » July 14th, 2004, 2:50 pm

They issue snivel gear at BAC now?

I can't recall lugging a canteen around 20 years ago. You got a steel pot with shock pad and probably the same bed linen as this shmuck.

Running only 3 days a week? I don't remember if we ran every day or not, and I seem to remember that we did PT in BDU pants and brown T-shirt. Ranger Spartan and I were in the same BAC class, maybe he remembers more details.

Mess hall description seems spot on as to how I remember it.

I also recall that they are "34 foot" towers not "35 foot" and that the big towers are "250 feet" not "235 feet".

I'm reading Currahee: A Screaming Eagle in Normandy by Donald Burgett right now. Back in 1943, they started jump school with a 9 mile run, they packed their own 'chutes, and the first phase alone was longer than the current BAC.

Reading this guy's article doesn't bring back fond memories, it just pisses me off that one of the Army's venerable institutions has gotten soft.

Saltbitch · Post by **Saltbitch** » July 14th, 2004, 2:53 pm

DEPShits....I reviewed this douchebag's dribble and can say without a doubt, he has got to be one of the whiniest little girls I have ever heard given the time of day. I hope you turds have a bigger sack than this shitstick. Fuckin' crybaby....

If you want to learn the basics of how to jump from a high-performance aircraft, then go to BAC. If you want to learn teamwork and cohesion, look elsewhere. I suppose he thought he should have been taught basic EOD while they were at it? :?

Parabellum · Post by **Parabellum** » July 14th, 2004, 4:39 pm

Since they allowed women in Airborne school in the late 70's it has been a joke ever since. Airborne is not a weeding out process. There is nothing hard about it...not in the last 25 years anyway. If you can fall you can pass.
Airborne now isn't "the end all be all" it is just a means of insertion.

Bugsy · Post by **Bugsy** » July 14th, 2004, 4:53 pm

H8 Train wrote:Since they allowed women in Airborne school in the late 70's it has been a joke ever since. Airborne is not a weeding out process. There is nothing hard about it...not in the last 25 years anyway. If you can fall you can pass.
Airborne now isn't "the end all be all" it is just a means of insertion.

AIRBORNE SCHOOL AIN'T CHIT!

IF YOU CAN'T MAKE IT PAST THAT COURSE (AND I SAW GROWN MEN, SCARED TO JUMP OUTTA THE MOCK TOWER, Which is nothing more than an army amusement park ride) Then you ain't got the balls to FART let alone BREATHE!

Un-Friggin Believable I swear, these guys......

Silverback · Post by **Silverback** » July 14th, 2004, 9:04 pm

In defense of Airborne School (The new Active Duty target is Sand Hill) I have to let you know that Airborne School now has a APFT requirement in order to get in. It's not much but it's a start, becuase Airborne school never had a APFT requirement. The "Flexed Arm Hang" seems to be disrupting the professional plans of the Fairer sex (and guys like me). I doubt that Paratroopers will ever be what they were but at least we're moving in the right direction.

Slowpoke · Post by **Slowpoke** » July 15th, 2004, 1:22 am

In 1966 it was Jump School, and if you were outdoors moving, you were running. We NEVER marched anywhere! And we didn't have to worry about what to bring if we were on our period....females were not allowed!

Spartan · Post by **Spartan** » July 15th, 2004, 1:33 am

I liked hearing him call the wimpy training load at Airborne School a Full Combat Load. Gimme a break.

Saltbitch · Post by **Saltbitch** » July 15th, 2004, 9:14 pm

Spartan wrote:I liked hearing him call the wimpy training load at Airborne School a Full Combat Load. Gimme a break.

You mean that medium rucksack stuffed with DX'd ponchos and wet-weather gear? Wasn't there a 2x4 in the M1950, also?

FireFinder · Post by **FireFinder** » July 15th, 2004, 9:31 pm

Roger that Ranger Saltbitch. I don't know what they had in the ruck, but it certainly didn't weigh that much. I do remember that the M1950 had a 2x4 in it.

That guy needs to read some Airborne History. Like the basic load most of the troopers jumped into Normandy with.

At least he didn't quit, I'll give him at least that much. He sure snivelled enough to make me think he would have quit.

CAL · Post by **CAL** » July 15th, 2004, 10:16 pm

Saltbitch wrote:DEPShits....I reviewed this douchebag's dribble and can say without a doubt, he has got to be one of the whiniest little girls I have ever heard given the time of day. I hope you turds have a bigger sack than this shitstick. Fuckin' crybaby....

Well said! I quit reading this momma's boy's dribble after he started whining about all his shit and he got to GO HOME for the weekends and sleep in his own bed with cable TV and all the comforts. Even with this luxury, he bitched and moaned like a little douche bag. And on top of it all he went to my unit

Steadfast · Post by **Steadfast** » July 16th, 2004, 6:34 am

I went to jump school in SEP '68. 1st week was a zero week. Each day a red flag went up the flagpole it meant the temperature was 90 degrees. Running was prohibited. We fast marched during that time. So by '68 Jump School was softer.