I LOVE jumping and I LOVE parachutes, but after I broke my back under a -1B I didn't want anything to do with military rounds under any conditions. However it was my job so I did it. One of my few regrets in life is boloing the JM course at Benning.
I was far less eager to jump in the military after busting myself up though I never let up on the civilian side.
I got hurt on a T-10 static line night equipment jump, I fractured my sternum and screwed up a few vertebrates, that was the only parachute injury I ever had. I have nobody to blame for that injury, except myself! :doh:
When, I mentioned extra jumps, I got a number of extra T-10 static line jumps, when the C-141's first came to McCord AFB. There wasn't many regular military airborne units in the area. 1st SFG(A) was deactivated at the time and 2nd Ranger BN didn't exist yet either.
The AF pathfinders were the only ones around. The AF was trying to train the C-141 navigators on the (CARP) computer air release point, which required actual dropping of troops. They wore out their own people, (Pathfinders) so they came to the 12th SFG(A) and asked for volunteers. Since we usually only got to jump just enough to stay on jump status , many of us volunteered for these jumps.
This required giving up your weekend to do the one jump. You went to McCord on a Friday night, where you went through your briefings, etc. You flew to the area around Mt. Home AFB, Idaho. The DZ was about an hour bus ride out from the base. You jumped, a Hollywood style jump. The DZ was flat as a pancake, biggest danger was the many gopher holes on the DZ.
Then you had to ride a rickety old AF bus back to the base. We found that the DZ and the areas we were riding through back to the base, were overrun with VERY large Jack Rabbits! The biggest damn rabbits I had ever seen!
So, we all started bringing our issue .45's and/or personal weapons and ammo. On the way back to the base in the bus, we blasted away at the 'Jack Rabbits.' This usually drove the AF driver nuts! But it sure was fun! >:{
We flew back to McCord on Sunday. One could explore Boise on Saturday and/or Saturday night. Of course, we were in 107's w/Green Berets, so we were sort of limited where we could go.
BTW: My parachute training in 1951 was with the T-7a! When it opened you knew it! ;)