Some changes to Airborne School

[tweeder]

Hello everyone,

I'm currently in week two of the BAC, and today we were notified of some changes to the course effective immediately. A few weeks ago tragedy struck when a student was killed in training, and as a result the Army has implemented these changes:

1st change- all students must weigh a minimum of 110lbs. This is because the T-11 parachute that the Army is transitioning to was meant for carrying larger loads, it requires more strength and mass to operate it.

2nd change- to start the class you must execute a 30 second flexed arm hang. This is done immediately after the PT test and failure to complete this exercise will result in your immediate removal from the course. In my opinion, this is much more difficult than the traditional 6 pull-ups and we lost a lot of females over this.

Last major change- there will be no mass exits during jump week! We were told by Sergeant Major to prepare for longer days during jump week and to stay motivated, which we all are!

 

[Muppet]

Hello everyone,

I'm currently in week two of the BAC, and today we were notified of some changes to the course effective immediately. A few weeks ago tragedy struck when a student was killed in training, and as a result the Army has implemented these changes:

1st change- all students must weigh a minimum of 110lbs. This is because the T-11 parachute that the Army is transitioning to was meant for carrying larger loads, it requires more strength and mass to operate it.

2nd change- to start the class you must execute a 30 second flexed arm hang. This is done immediately after the PT test and failure to complete this exercise will result in your immediate removal from the course. In my opinion, this is much more difficult than the traditional 6 pull-ups and we lost a lot of females over this.

Last major change- there will be no mass exits during jump week! We were told by Sergeant Major to prepare for longer days during jump week and to stay motivated, which we all are!

No mass tacs? W.T.F.? What happens when you get to Division or Batt.?

F.M.

 

[tweeder]

No mass tacs? W.T.F.? What happens when you get to Division or Batt.?

F.M.

We trained for them all day and will continue to train for a mass exit, but we were told we won't be doing any of them with the T-11. Now who's to say we don't add a Mass Tac with a T-10D? This is just what was put out at formation this morning.

 

[tweeder]

but we were told we won't be doing any of them with the T-11. Now who's to say we don't add a Mass Tac with a T-10D?

I can see where this conflicts with my original post... What was put out was no mass tacs with the T-11 and ORIGINALLY we were only doing a Hollywood fam jump with the T-10D. More than likely we will not be doing a Mass Tac UNLESS they decide to throw one in with the T-10D.

Hope this clears things up a bit.

 

[Muppet]

Shit. I never heard of those chutes. I jumped the T-10C and MC1-1B in the 90's.

F.M.

 

[racing_kitty]

Interesting that a lot of females washed out on the flexed arm hang. Starting in grade school with the President's fitness test, that's always been the alternate event for females instead of a pull up. Of course, I'm older now. Things change, and people aren't in the same physical shape they once were growing up.

 

[AWP]

We didn't even take a PT test at jump school and they made us jump with these ridiculous ankle braces.

Give it a few months and they'll have new standards.

 

[DA SWO]

We didn't even take a PT test at jump school and they made us jump with these ridiculous ankle braces.

Give it a few months and they'll have new standards.

Back off dude, I helped test those things (and logged a equipment test jump as a result).

 

[AWP]

Back off dude, I helped tet those things (and logged a equipment test jump as a result).

At the time they seemed like a good idea, and maybe they are, but I later thought of them as a good way to acquire a tib/ fib fracture. I hated running off the DZ in them and never saw them after the schoolhouse. By JM school in 98 they were dead like Bambi's mom.

 

[Muppet]

We didn't even take a PT test at jump school and they made us jump with these ridiculous ankle braces.

Give it a few months and they'll have new standards.

What are these ankle braces you speak of? Never heard of them. We had to jump the leather black boots in jump school but never had ankle braces. This was in 95. After that we jumped jungle boots all the time.

F.M.

 

[Centermass]

Yours truly in them. Full battle rattle.

PJM w/ my AJM.



Pic was taken by a DA photographer. Didn't even know it existed until some years later when a buddy of mine saw it in a museum.....

 

[Lycurgus]

Do you still get smoked in the gravel pits? The other students HATED us...we would get in trouble on purpose to get our chalks smoked :) I think it was 2005 or 2006 when we stopped sending our guys there.

 

[Ranger Psych]

At the time they seemed like a good idea, and maybe they are, but I later thought of them as a good way to acquire a tib/ fib fracture. I hated running off the DZ in them and never saw them after the schoolhouse. By JM school in 98 they were dead like Bambi's mom.

They were standard issue for us, mandatory for some jumps and optional for others depending on terrain encounterable on landing. They are a good way to acquire a tib/fib fracture. That's the point, just like ski boots. It's easier to get someone to heal up from a tib/fib than trying to reconstruct a destroyed ankle. Same thing with ski boots, they take your ankles out of the equation where you'd blow them out otherwise.

Takes 2 seconds to take them off when you do your after-jump weapons charging, piss, and ruck packup.

 

[goon175]

I see the Army is trying to out-do itself with a whole new level of risk aversion... no mas-tac? Yeah... that makes a lot of sense.

Also, until a few years ago, men had to complete a certain amount of pull ups and women had to do a flexed arm hang as part of the PT test. Hmm... I guess all that "gender norming" isn't working out too hot?

 

[Marauder06]

I don't remember even doing a PT test when I went to Airborne School. As long as you could keep up with the runs, no drama. And I'm not sure I could have done 6 pullups when I went (summer after Freshman year of college).

 

[tweeder]

Do you still get smoked in the gravel pits? The other students HATED us...we would get in trouble on purpose to get our chalks smoked :) I think it was 2005 or 2006 when we stopped sending our guys there.

They are beyond smoking us. If you do anything you aren't supposed to you are instantly counseled... 3 counseling statements or 2 for the same offense and you're gone.

Big boy rules apply, the cadre make it fun and easy to learn but heaven help you if you fall asleep during a lesson.

 

[Ooh-Rah]

Yours truly in them. Full battle rattle.

PJM w/ my AJM.



Pic was taken by a DA photographer. Didn't even know it existed until some years later when a buddy of mine saw it in a museum.....

The first thing I thought of when I saw your pic was the "Cartoon Bubble" I imagined above your heads:
"Dude, what the fuck are on your feet?"
"Fuck if I know, they were'nt there this morning!"

 

[TLDR20]

I went in '06 and we had to to a pT text and six pull-ups females had to do the flex arm hang.

 

[RustyShackleford]

They were standard issue for us, mandatory for some jumps and optional for others depending on terrain encounterable on landing.

The only time I recall wearing them was on airfield seizures

I see the Army is trying to out-do itself with a whole new level of risk aversion... no mas-tac? Yeah... that makes a lot of sense.

Also, until a few years ago, men had to complete a certain amount of pull ups and women had to do a flexed arm hang as part of the PT test. Hmm... I guess all that "gender norming" isn't working out too hot?

Yeah, it would be interesting to see how they plan on putting jumpers out the door. I can see pushing a max amount of jumpers for safety sake, but by the end they should be capable of maintaining a 1 or so second interval and still being "safe."

As to the standards, same old song and dance. If people can make the standard, do away with it.

 

[reed11b]

I don't remember even doing a PT test when I went to Airborne School. As long as you could keep up with the runs, no drama. And I'm not sure I could have done 6 pullups when I went (summer after Freshman year of college).

I'm pretty sure I did not have them either, I went in '93.
Reed