Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Hello from Jump School

Figured I would pull up a seat and warm my hands at The Campfire, since it's so cold down here in Columbus, GA (right!!!).
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<br>Am smack dab in the middle of Airborne School--Alpha Company, 1/507th. Have finished up the first week and a half, and tomorrow we start jumping from the 250-foot towers for the next two days to practice up for our five jumps next week. The last 10 days have mostly consisted of jumping from various heights and apparatus' into pits of pea gravel. It's designed to teach you how to land when you hit the ground at the end of a jump. The rest of the time has basically been running, doing pushups, and flutter-kicks in the 98-degree heat and glaring sun. IT'S HOT!!!! People fall out of the running due to the heat quite often. People also get kicked out (more often than you might think) for not getting their landing falls done correctly.
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<br>I would say that it's fun, except that the environment feels a lot like Basic Training. There's a good reason for that, though: the Black Hats (the instructors, who wear black baseball hats) have to get 300-plus people through the course in 3 weeks, and it ain't easy. There's a lot of yelling, cussing, punishment pushups, and something called First Sergeant's Happy Time (painting, cutting grass, extra-fine cleaning, etc.) for the people who don't concentrate on getting stuff right.
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<br>I like it plenty, and I'm really excited (childishly, I admit) to get my Jump Wings. Am a little nervous about the jumps next week. Not a few people get injured (broken legs and ankles mostly, from what I hear from the classes who've graduated while I've been here.
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<br>We run a little over five miles a day in running shoes, and the rest of the day is probably another mile or two of running around in boots from place to place. Your legs and ankles get beat up from the running in boots and from the repeated landing in gravel pits.
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<br>Still, it's pretty cool. Here at Benning you really do feel that you're at the heart of the US Army Infantry, and it's a neat feeling. At night, a bugler plays taps and other tunes outside my window and it sends chills down my spine.
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<br>Barring any bad luck or poor performance on my part, I'll be a paratrooper by next Wednesday night, only one week from now. Then it's on to Ranger Indoctrination, a tan beret, and a spot in a Ranger Battalion. Am finally getting close to what I enlisted for. Right now they're assigning new graduates of RIP to whatever Ranger Battalion is due to leave for Afghanistan next. Since that's the 2nd Bat at Ft. Lewis, WA (the Bat I want), I'm pretty fired up for that.
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<br>Enough rambling. Just want to say that I miss you guys a lot and I hope you're all OK--especially you, Need One. JustinH

Justin,
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<br>We haven't talked before, but I've been following what you're doing. I'm a senior in college in ROTC and will commission in May. Went to Jump School in May 2000 and had a blast. Don't worry about your jumps next week, they're a piece of cake. After the 1st you'll want to just keep going. I know it's hot and the humidity is a killer. I just returned from Ft. Lewis where I spent 5 weeks for ROTC and it was nice. 75-80 degrees with no humidity. Anyway, hang in there and get those wings, I'm tired of smelling the "leg" on ya...............GH
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<br>Chad

Congratulations Justin!
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<br>You should be very proud of your accomplishments.
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<br>Sounds like you are, and will in the future, do just great!
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<br>Best wishes...
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<br>Bill

Let me be the first at the campfire HOOHUW. Way to go. If you end up at Bragg let us know. Been at Bragg for a long time.

Congratulations on your progress.
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<br>I'm sure you know us Campfire folks are with you on this.
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<br>Kind of makes a guy feel good to know there are still young men around who recognize things like Honor, Duty, Country and have the balls to step up.
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<br>Personally, I never could figure out why a guy would jump out of a perfectly good airplane. But, then, I was Naval Air.
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<br>Best wishes in everything you do.
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<br>2D

Good to hear from you Justin, be glad when you get settled and back on line. You are just about over the hump and become one of the "guys". Know you will wear the wings and beret proud. Old "no" is just about over the hump of a different kind. Getting stronger every day and looking forward to high country again. Thank you for remembering. You should know the things to watch out for by now so keep your eyes open and ear to the ground. A fish wouldn't get caught if he kept his mouth shut. Performance needs no explanation. You will do well, we all know that. Don't forget to keep us posted regular and tell Mom we miss her, she can post also. -- no

Feet and knees together, and you'll land good forever!! Hoo--Ahh!! Airborne!! I was in Alpha Company 1/507 in December of 1990. Got fogged in and spent a VERY lonely Christmas in the BAQ. Dang I cried a lot that week!!
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<br>Bought myself two knives at the Airborne PX as a graduation present. Still have and use them both! Don't forget to get your pic taken with Iron Mike--you'll treasure it forever. I promise.
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<br>Remember: If you main fails, you've got the rest of your life to activate your reserve.
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<br>Get blood wings!

Make no mistake, when they pin your wings on, it will be one of the proudest days of your life! It was for me (45th Co. Class 29-81 "Land Soft, Kill Quiet!") Just remember, feet and knees together and watch the horizon! Good luck next week!

Congrats, Bud your doing right fine by your self and for us. It is much appreciated by all.
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<br>Now lets see, when landing you neutral the stick as you lower the collective and back down throttle in a smooth single motion while maintaining tail rotor speed in proportion to rotor torque to prevent spinning.
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<br>Did I mention we didn't have chutes in Hueys?
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<br>Keep up the great job buddy, we are proud of ya!

Justin,
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<br>Congratulations on what you have achieved and good luck in your efforts to become an airborne ranger!
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<br>What the fellows have posted has been my experience too, getting your wings will be a moment that you won't ever forget and when you become a ranger you will have achieved a level of self-confidence that will serve you well the rest of your life.
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<br>I would recommend that you buy as small a digital camera as you can find with at least 2 megapixals, along with a couple of large memory cards, and take lots of pictures. The friends you make in ranger school will be your friends forever and when you're an old guy like me, the pictures are a nice reminder of what we were when we were young soldiers too.
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<br>Remember, ranger school is 90% mental and only 10% physical, so if you think that you can, you can!
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<br>Sincerest best wishes, I wish that every young man had an opportunity to test himself like you are doing.
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<br>Bearrr264
<br>LTC IN USA
<br>(retired)

Good to hear from you again, Justin. I figured you must have gone on to Jump School since we hadn't heard from you. Glad to hear you're still doing good.
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<br>Good luck on making it to Ft Lewis. I thought I had it bad because it took me 9 hrs travel to get there! I glad I didn't have to get there by way of Afghanistan!
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<br>Tell Mom to drop by now and then. She's been slacking on keeping us up to date! Take care and keep us posted. We're still praying for you.
<br>7mm

Justin:
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<br>Nice to hear from you. Keep up the good work. I offer a little advice from someone who's been there, done that.
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<br>Don't get carried away with the enthusiasm. Keep your head down. Remember that nobody ever won a war by dieing for his country. We win wars by killing others. That will soon be your job. Keep your wits about you.
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<br>Good luck.
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<br>KC
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I was in A 1/507 when I was there too! Great Company we had some great Blackhats then...Would have been July 91' for me..I know all about those sawdust pits! I was a cocky E-4 with Airborne Tabs over my unit patch and one to match on the other sleeve! My buddies told me to tear the tabs off before going, but I was stubborn
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<br>My first reaction the first time out the door was "Dang the ground sure is close!!!" 1000ft AGL isn't all that high...800ft AGL at Bragg was standard, but it was dark then so it didn't matter as much psychologically...
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<br>Congratulations on your accomplishments.....Remember there are two types of soldiers, those that are Airborne and those that want to be!!!!
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<br>I filed the spikes off the back of my first set of Jump wings and have had them on my keyring as a good luck charm and a reminder that it is expected for for a paratrooper to always give 110% Hooah!!!!
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<br>Mike

Justin,
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<br>All the Army guys I know would say "HOOAH." of course, HOOAH can be used in any sentence or phrase at any time to convey anything and everything.....
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<br>I have dropped basic airbore trainees at Benning form my trusty C-130. One trip I was in an "E" model Herk and the cargo compartment air conditioner broke. Now the rules would have allowed us to fly a low-level before the drop, but we just didn't have the heart to. We took the top center hatch out to try and cool it. Even though we took off and proceded immediately to the DZ, 60 guys filled up 75 air sickness bags.
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<br>We were asked and agreed to do a high speed pass after we had finished dropping. (If someone were to do that today they'd take their wings). Of course, we didn't remember about the hatch until we heard a funny wind noise at 285 knots indicated airspeed......
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<br>Good luck and God bless.
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<br>Blaine

I was on an A-Detachment in 1st Group at Ft. Lewis, now I live in Seattle. If you get up here, email me at [email]okiejohn45hotmail.com.[/email] We'll drink beer and talk sh*t.
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<br>I have followed your progress without much comment so far, but I see now that you have not chosen the easy path. You have chosen to go into darkness to see the faces of horror and evil for yourself. You ignore those who have not seen but think they know. In this alone, you show more courage than most. I suspect you already know that the hard part has not yet begun. Your life is already something the cowardly can barely imagine, and they hate you because you do what they cannot.
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<br>This is as it should be.
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<br>Hang in there, Okie John.

Hello--and a big thanks--to all of you. One of the best things about this foray of mine into the Army is the growing feeling inside that there are a lot of you out there who have already "been there, done that," and understand what I'm doing.
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<br>I won't lie: today is Saturday, and we start our jumps on Monday, and I'm pretty nervous. They just handed down the jump stick manifest (the order in which you jump) and I'm the last man in my stick, which I think (and sorta hope) means I'm the first guy out the door on all 5 jumps. I want to be the first guy, standing in the door, waiting to lead us out, but it also gives me the willies when I think about it.
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<br>I really hope you all know how much your encouragement fires me up. You know it's always good to know that there are guys somewhere who give a true hoot about how and what you're doing.
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<br>AIRBORNE ALL THE WAY. JustinH
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<br>P.S. Mom has been traveling around our family circuit in the west and midwest with my sisters this summer so she's been out of the loop for awhile. She really likes coming to The Campfire and the people here though, so she'll be back soon.

Good to hear Justin.
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<br>We used to load high numbers in first out last so you may be the stick pusher on each jump!
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<br>Seems like they only do 6-8 man sticks per pass at jump school so the blackhats on the ground can evaluate your landings and offer MEGAPHONE guidance like ""Get your feet and knees together knucklehead"" and such!!
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<br>You'll be so busy checking equipment and controlling your static line that you won't have time to be too nervous..Just follow the guy in front of you and wait for the most awesome blast you will ever experience...Ahhh some things I still miss..Especially the blast out of a C-141...
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<br>Can't wait to hear your report Monday night I bet we'll feel the smile through the monitor...
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<br>Mike

Sure glad to see you are still alive Justin, so far that is. I never had any desire to jump out of a serviceable airplane but you have fun now, hear.
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<br>BCR

Justin, Congratulations! It's been along time since I was there in the early part of 70. Know you've been doing allot of running. My class, because of some necessity had to make all 5 training jumps on the same day. If their still jumping the same area in Alabama. On my third jump, I got caught in some kind of draft, and just kind of floated. Didn't desend or rise, just kind of hung there for what seemed like forever. Was beautifull! My first was from the 141 Starlifter, and in 97 jumps from everything including Huey's, 130's, and a cancelled/scheduled C5A. But that one, is one of two I remember most. The other being when I had my chute colapse after landing on my Leutenant's in a night time low level, and I landed in a grape vinyard after clearing and pulling away. No, there's three, there was the time when the Airforce dropped me 30 miles form my drop zone in Italy during a Nato Jump. Never did catch up with that Pilot (grin).
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<br>Word of caution, don't let some fool talk you into making or attempting a stand up landing. That will come in it's own time.
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<br>I tied a small camera to button hole, and stuffed into my shirt (Use your own judgement on this) but wanted pictures on my first jump.
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<br>Phil

Greyghost;
<br> You too?? I got caught in an updraft on my first jump too! Good ol' Fryar Drop Zone! I went through in '81. I remember as I was floating, the Black Hat on the ground yelling through his bullhorn, "You better get down here Airborne! Quit making me wait on you!" Then, when I finally got to the ground, I lay there for a second "taking inventory" and the same Black Hat comes running up and yells at me from about ten feet away (through the bullhorn) "GET UP! WHY ARE YOU SLEEPING? GET TO THE ASSEMBLY POINT AND DROP AND GIVE ME TEN! NOW AIRBORNE!!!"
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<br>Ahh to be 19 and invincible again.