# New USMC jump school



## tigerstr (Dec 8, 2008)

New MC Jump school  From Marine Corps Times

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. — The Corps is preparing to launch a new jump school course, a move that would allow more Marines to qualify each year for high-altitude jumps while also cutting down on training time.

A class of 22 Marines, mostly reconnaissance in background, graduated from an initial version of the Multi-Mission Parachutist Course on Nov. 21, Marine officials said.
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Almost 4 times as many Marines to be HALO/HAHO qualified! And Force Recon makes a come back in the Active Divisions with one company of the 2nd Recon Battalion.

Good news.


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## DA SWO (Dec 8, 2008)

Wow!
Everyone is running their own HALO school now.
Glad all the Clinto era cutbacks didn't affect our ability to train, snicker, snicker.


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## 7point62 (Dec 8, 2008)

Good news. And even the old SgtMaj can use the MMPS. 


And Force Recon returns with 2nd Recon Bn. More good news. (I know one of the Plt Cmmdrs with Bravo 2nd Recon)


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## rv808 (Dec 8, 2008)

But are all the different branches using the same standards for the school?


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## Trip_Wire (Dec 8, 2008)

I think that having numerous MFF schools is a bad thing! A good example is the number of casualties lately at the SEAL MFF school. I think the should have one school with instructors from all the services. Enlarge the school to take more people if needed.

I also wonder, if this new USMC school is also going to do the BAC? If so, IMO thats a bad idea as well. :2c:


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## DA SWO (Dec 8, 2008)

Trip_Wire said:


> I think that having numerous MFF schools is a bad thing! A good example is the number of casualties lately at the SEAL MFF school. I think the should have one school with instructors from all the services. Enlarge the school to take more people if needed.
> 
> I also wonder, if this new USMC school is also going to do the BAC? If so, IMO thats a bad idea as well. :2c:



The Army (IIRC) is the proponent for HALO and certifies each school.  
Yuma is maxed out, and no one in the Army seems to care; so each service has implimented (the same) it's own solution to the problem.  

I don't know if the Marines are running their own BAC, but the Navy used to run a school in NJ.  I had a couple of NCO's and one Officer who graduated.  They were safe competent jumpers.  

Maybe the Army should stop using jump school as a merit badge for officers and insist all graduates go to an Airborne assignment after jump school.   That might free some space for non-Army slots.


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## car (Dec 8, 2008)

SOWT said:


> Maybe the Army should stop using jump school as a merit badge for officers and insist all graduates go to an Airborne assignment after jump school.   That might free some space for non-Army slots.



Perish the thought!


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## Muppet (Dec 8, 2008)

car said:


> Perish the thought!



XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX---2.

f.m.:doh:


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## surgicalcric (Dec 8, 2008)

SOWT said:


> The Army (IIRC) is the proponent for HALO and certifies each school.
> 
> Yuma is maxed out, and no one in the Army seems to care; so each service has implimented (the same) it's own solution to the problem.
> 
> I don't know if the Marines are running their own BAC, but the Navy used to run a school in NJ.  I had a couple of NCO's and one Officer who graduated.  They were safe competent jumpers...



Last I heard Navy MFF school grads couldnt attend MFFJM at Bragg because of the way the Navy runs their school...  This may have changed as my info is a year or two old.

If the Marines want to do their own thing then let them; it will only free up more slots for those of us in the Army who are wanting them.



> ...Maybe the Army should stop using jump school as a merit badge for officers and insist all graduates go to an Airborne assignment after jump school.   That might free some space for non-Army slots.



I concur 100%.  There are entirely too many soldiers running about with wings who have no reason whatsoever to be BAC qual'd.  It is little more than something to give non-combat arms O's while in ROTC/USMA or to offer as an enlistment incentive.

It is a serious waste of money and resources...

Crip


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## hidesite (Dec 8, 2008)

5 jump chump = US Army Parachutist qualified.

6+ on Jump Status = US PARATROOPER

Hell, the Army was running a 4 day school in northern Africa to backfill Troopers for D-Day so fuck it, let the Corps do their thing if they want to, the US Army Airborne school is a joke anymore, anyway... Bunch of badge chase'n "PatchFinders"... If you're not going to be on jump status, (Per unit MTOE) then there is NO REASON to go to that "HooAh" school. (Snicker) And it's not just the Army wasting the slots, I went through with a Marine that was an MP who got the slot for re-enlisting. However, at least he appreciated it unlike the herd of Cadidiots from USMA that was there for what would equate to uniform "flair" or "HooAh Bling-Bling" to them kidos, 99% of which will NEVER AGAIN jump...

bleh!


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## Viper1 (Dec 9, 2008)

I went as a USMA cadet. I worked my butt off to get an airborne assignment but fort bragg went out 3 spots above me on post night. A consequence of my previous 2 years of bad academic performance at school. I picked Fort Campbell (although I could have picked Fort Richardson, my choice, got it) and waited until IOBC to trade.   Was able to work a trade but got married to another officer and went to Fort Hood with her b/c they couldn't/wouldn't change her post (she's EN).  My choice, I got it.

People talk about officers like we shouldn't exist in the military and that's fine.  Write your congressman or someone of rank if you are concerned about who gets slots for what school.   It's childish and foolish to talk about officers or anyone this way.

I can't wait to strap on a parachute to my back and jump again.  I'm a 3rd generation Soldier with grand-uncles who jumped and Normandy and a father who commanded at Bragg.  Mech wasn't my first assignment but I'm thankful because I got to lead Soldiers in combat.  Nice to have a CIB and wings but seeing my Soldiers and hearing them still talk about the good times we had in 2006 is worth more than any badge I have.  Yep, I'm a cherry with 6 static-line jumps and that's reality.  Who cares?


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## DA SWO (Dec 9, 2008)

Viper1 said:


> I can't wait to strap on a parachute to my back and jump again.  I'm a 3rd generation Soldier with grand-uncles who jumped and Normandy and a father who commanded at Bragg.  Mech wasn't my first assignment but I'm thankful because I got to lead Soldiers in combat.  Nice to have a CIB and wings but seeing my Soldiers and hearing them still talk about the good times we had in 2006 is worth more than any badge I have.  Yep, I'm a cherry with 6 static-line jumps and that's reality.  Who cares?



Your not a cherry if you have six jumps.

That said, most of youe fellow cadets have no desire to jump again, and the wings were a career choice.

Something to chew on; in the early to mid 90's (Clinton era) we had guys/gals showing up Bragg/Division needing jump school because they couldn't get a slot after AIT (summer months).

Who needed the slot? the cadet or the PFC with orders to the 82nd?

If slots are available--send a cadet; but don't block off hundresd of slots until you know that operational requirements will be met.
Those cadets/officers also need to sign an agreement letting them know their first or second assignment will be with an Airborne unit. 

Let the 82nd start a summer BAC if management feels jump school is that vital to an officers education.


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## car (Dec 9, 2008)

SOWT said:


> Let the 82nd start a summer BAC if management feels jump school is that vital to an officers education.



They did, in the early '80s, when ROTC Advanced Camp was still at Bragg. I got four or five guys into it every summer.


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## Viper1 (Dec 9, 2008)

SOWT said:


> Something to chew on; in the early to mid 90's (Clinton era) we had guys/gals showing up Bragg/Division needing jump school because they couldn't get a slot after AIT (summer months).
> 
> Who needed the slot? the cadet or the PFC with orders to the 82nd?
> 
> ...




*Agreed on all!! *  Line Soldiers should always get the first choice for slots.  I would have signed that airborne unit contract in a new york minute.  

I do know that I still had a choice to go to Fort Richardson, AK.  Looking back, might have been a better career move but then again, might not have.  Water under the bridge.


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## AWP (Dec 9, 2008)

Trip_Wire said:


> I think that having numerous MFF schools is a bad thing! A good example is the number of casualties lately at the SEAL MFF school.



How is the Navy running it's own course leading to fatalities? Details of the jumps aren't even public knowledge.

The Navy actually contracted out the training but I'm not sure if they still do that....my info is a few years old. Hell, all of the services contract out advanced training to one degree or another.


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## DA SWO (Dec 9, 2008)

car said:


> They did, in the early '80s, when ROTC Advanced Camp was still at Bragg. I got four or five guys into it every summer.



My NCOIC got me into the Division BAC in Apr83. 5th Group did the same thing at Bragg.


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## TJT0321 (Mar 11, 2009)

The Marine Corps Freefall school is being run by private contractors. They needed a special school dedicated to getting our guys jump slots and trained on the new MMPS. I speak from experience when I say that Airborne slots are a dime a dozen, but freefall slots have historically been very hard to come by as a Marine. Now that we have our own school, I'm hoping to see the number of free fallers increase exponentially. Myself included.


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## Teufel (Mar 28, 2009)

SOWT said:


> The Army (IIRC) is the proponent for HALO and certifies each school.
> Yuma is maxed out, and no one in the Army seems to care; so each service has implimented (the same) it's own solution to the problem.
> 
> I don't know if the Marines are running their own BAC, but the Navy used to run a school in NJ.  I had a couple of NCO's and one Officer who graduated.  They were safe competent jumpers.
> ...



The Marine Corps is not running a BAC, originally the school was going to take a student from leg to MFF but the Army wouldn't agree to it so it was cut back to strictly MFF.


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## Smurf (Jan 16, 2010)

Hate to revive an old thread, but I was curious to how the school was running. Any Marines on here graduates?


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## EATIII (Jan 16, 2010)

Viper1 said:


> I went as a USMA cadet. I worked my butt off to get an airborne assignment but fort bragg went out 3 spots above me on post night. A consequence of my previous 2 years of bad academic performance at school. I picked Fort Campbell (although I could have picked Fort Richardson, my choice, got it) and waited until IOBC to trade.   Was able to work a trade but got married to another officer and went to Fort Hood with her b/c they couldn't/wouldn't change her post (she's EN).  My choice, I got it.
> 
> People talk about officers like we shouldn't exist in the military and that's fine.  Write your congressman or someone of rank if you are concerned about who gets slots for what school.   It's childish and foolish to talk about officers or anyone this way.
> 
> I can't wait to strap on a parachute to my back and jump again.  I'm a 3rd generation Soldier with grand-uncles who jumped and Normandy and a father who commanded at Bragg.  Mech wasn't my first assignment but I'm thankful because I got to lead Soldiers in combat.  Nice to have a CIB and wings but seeing my Soldiers and hearing them still talk about the good times we had in 2006 is worth more than any badge I have.  Yep, I'm a cherry with 6 static-line jumps and that's reality.  Who cares?



Look where you are now sir, GO for it. BTW how did you get that 6th Jump:uhh::cool:


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## 18C4V (Jan 17, 2010)

I think it's going good, it's clearing up spots at MFFPC to allow more Army to attend. The SEALS have their own school in Southern California.


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## Smurf (Jan 17, 2010)

18C4V said:


> I think it's going good, it's clearing up spots at MFFPC to allow more Army to attend. The SEALS have their own school in Southern California.


 
Thanks for the update!


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