Boots tossing: paratrooper tradition?

[frostfire]

I must have lived under a rock since I’ve never been aware.
My XVIII Airborne Corps colleague told me that’s what paratroopers do when they leave service. I thought he’s full of it but sure enough, you can see em on Ardennes.
So is this really a tradition? Is it an 82nd thing only or other units do it too? When did it start?

Having served as safety officer, it just doesn’t seem kosher for the power lines in the long run, and even a misdemeanor.

Anyone tossed their boots when they ets from Airborne life?

[sfshooter]

I never did it but seen it done in Korea, Campbell, and Bragg.

[JJ_BPK]

Not unlike HS kids at graduation?

stress "kids"

[Badger52]

Saw a buddy (82nd) chuck 'em into a tree in his front yard in the housing area. He had the HHG labor in his house packing him out & was walking about in bathrobe replete with saber from his retirement party, slung shotgun & bottle of Jack Daniels. (HHG kids seemed to be very careful with his stuff.) Then it was "here, hold my shotgun & watch this..."

[mojaveman]

The trees in the far corners of the facility that I was on in Germany in the early '80s were full of boots and some of them were colorful, some of them had been there so long that they had bird nests in them. The footwear in the trees that were in the more frequented areas were removed by post maintenance personnel.

I remember a few 'boot trees' at Lewis and Bragg too.

A few of my old boots are still in the garage.

[tom kelly]

IF YOU OWN THE MILITARY GEAR, Why not take it down to 6490 Yadkin Road & SELL IT. Also General Jacksons at 6207 Yadkin Road. There are a few other stores along Yadkin Road that will buy your military gear.....tom kelly

[Mustang Man]

It's more of an FU gesture towards the 82nd and Bragg as a final goodbye. Never tossed mine, but what I did like many others was burry my wings on my last jump. Somewhere in Sicily my wings are burried in peace.

[PRB]

It is more of a FU...or in the day FTA....tradition. Waste of good boots.

OTOH I did take my round brown DS hat to the shotgun range at Ft. Knox and blow it out of the air when I left there for Bragg.
Talk about a repetitious pita job....groundhog day over and over again.

[CSB]

I remember it started at Fort Bragg in the 1970's, when the XVIII Corps started Pro-Life (Hank Emerson) four mile formation runs. When a soldier ETS'd he would paint his boots some godawful color (red was popular) tie the laces together and toss them over the lines. Of course, he would tell his buddies where and what color. The next PT run, the unit would run by or under PFC Snuffy's red boots or PVT Tentpeg's blue and white boots.

It could mean everything from "I'm gone, best of luck you guys" to "I'm outta here, fuck all of you."

It would drive the Sergeant Majors mad. Since they couldn't get them down themselves or with a detail, they had to send up a work order to the post engineers. The post engineers had the cherry pickers to go up and cut them down, even from live power lines. Until then, the boots could stay up for for weeks.

[Wagbag]

Saw it at Lejeune more than Bragg.

[Ret10Echo]

Originally Posted by CSB

I remember it started at Fort Bragg in the 1970's, when the XVIII Corps started Pro-Life (Hank Emerson) four mile formation runs. When a soldier ETS'd he would paint his boots some godawful color (red was popular) tie the laces together and toss them over the lines. Of course, he would tell his buddies where and what color. The next PT run, the unit would run by or under PFC Snuffy's red boots or PVT Tentpeg's blue and white boots.

It could mean everything from "I'm gone, best of luck you guys" to "I'm outta here, fuck all of you."

It would drive the Sergeant Majors mad. Since they couldn't get them down themselves or with a detail, they had to send up a work order to the post engineers. The post engineers had the cherry pickers to go up and cut them down, even from live power lines. Until then, the boots could stay up for for weeks.

Yup, it was a "thing" in the 80's as well. Bright polka-dots etc spray painted and then launched into the phone/power lines. 1SGT would be fuming if someone managed to do-so in the lines above the company formation area. Occasionally someone would lean too far forward and commit the act before they signed out of the unit causing hellfire and brimstone to be brought down upon them.

[Divemaster]

Saw it at Ft. Ord in the 80s and at Ft. Lewis and every other post I visited over a career.

[Combat Diver]

Back in the mid 80s the power lines around Airborne school would be full of low quarter shoes as the new Paratroopers boarded our buses to next duty locations.

CD