Airborne school
From 7th Cavalry Regiment Wiki
The Airborne School — widely known as Jump School — conducts the basic paratrooper training for the 7th Cavalry. The Airborne School conducts the Basic Airborne course, HALO (High Altitude-Low Opening) course and the HAHO (High Altitude-High Opening) course, also known as Military Free Fall (MFF).
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Basic Admission Requirements
- Minimum Rank of Private First Class.
- Phase 1 of the Advanced Infantry Training (AIT) Completed.
- No Negative Counseling Statements in the last ninety (90) days.
- Motivation
Basic Airborne course
The basic airborne course is an intensive 2 hours and 15 minute long course. It has a classroom portion, during this part, students will learn the basic aspect of parachuting. Then follows a series of both daytime jumps and night jumps. On graduation, students will receive the parachutist badge.
History
The first US Airborne Unit was a test platoon formed from part of the 29th Infantry Regiment, in July 1940. The platoon leader was 1st Lieutenant William T. Ryder who made the first paratroop jump for the US Military on August 13, 1940 at Lawson Field, Fort Benning, GA from a B-18 Bomber. He was immediately followed by Private William N. King, the first enlisted soldier to make a parachute jump. Although airborne units were not popular with the top U.S. Army commanders, President Franklin D. Roosevelt sponsored the concept, and Major General William C. Lee organized the first paratroop platoon. This led to the Provisional Parachute Group, and then the United States Airborne Command. General Lee was the first commander at the new parachute school at Fort Benning, in west-central Georgia. The US Army regards Major General William C. Lee as the father of the Airborne.
The first US Army Combat Jump was near Oran, Algeria, in North Africa on November 8, 1942 conducted by elements of the 509th Parachute Infantry. For the role of paratroopers in the Normandy Landings see American airborne landings in Normandy.
The original Army Parachutist Badge was designed in 1941 by Captain (later Lieutenant General) William P. Yarborough and approved by the Department of the Army in March of that year. The Parachutist Badge replaced the "Parachutist Patch" which had previously worn as a large patch on the side of a Paratrooper's garrison cap. LTG Yarborough also designed the Senior and Master Parachutist Badges and the addition of stars to portray the number of combat jumps.
Parachutist Badge
The Parachutist Badge, also commonly referred to as "Jump Wings" or "Snow Cone", is awarded to all 7th Cavalry personnel who complete the Basic Airborne Course. It signifies that the soldier is a trained Parachutist, and is qualified to participate in airborne operations.
HALO/HAHO Course
Qualified personnel may go on to earn the Military Freefall Parachutist Badge in special operations training for High Altitude Low Opening (HALO) or High Altitude High Opening (HAHO) jumps.
History
The origins of the HALO technique date back to 1960 when the U.S. Air Force was conducting experiments that followed earlier work by Colonel John Stapp in the late 1940s through early 1950s on survivability factors for high-flying pilots needing to eject at high altitudes. Stapp, a research biophysicist and medical doctor, used himself as a human guinea pig in rocket sled tests to study the effects of very high g-forces. Stapp also solved many of the issues involved in high altitude flight in his earliest work for the Air Force, and subjected himself to exposure to altitudes of 45,000 feet (14,000 m).
Subsequently, he helped develop pressure suits and ejection seats, which have been used in jets ever since. As part of the experiments, on August 16, 1960, Colonel Joseph Kittinger performed the first high altitude jump at an altitude of 19.5 miles (31.4 km) above the Earth's surface. However, the technique was used for combat for the first time during the Vietnam War in Laos by members of MACV-SOG. SEAL Team SIX of the United States Navy expanded the HALO technique to include delivery of boats and other large items in conjunction with parachutists.
HALO Badge
The HALO Badge is awarded to all 7th Cavalry personnel who complete the HALO/HAHO Course. It signifies that the soldier is a trained Freefall Parachutist, and is qualified to participate in airborne operations as such.
Jump Masters
7th Cavalry parachutist who have completed numerous jumps and airborne operations, maybe selected to enter the jump master program. After successful completion of the training program jump masters will be able to teach airborne courses corresponding to their specialty.
Jump Master Badge
The Jump master badge signifies that the wearer is a qualified basic airborne course instructor. In these capacities he can train evaluated and certify student of the Airborne school for the basic airborne course.
Halo Jump Master Badge
The HALO Jump master badge signifies that the wearer is a qualified HALO course instructor. In these capacities he can train, evaluate and certify students of the Airborne school for the HALO/HAHO course.
See Also
References
http://www.7thcavalry.us/topic/26234-airborne-school-requirements/
