I want to jump out of planes

[Everyday guy]

Good evening gentlemen.

I'm a 24 year old college student thinking about joining the military, for a specific purpose.

I wan't to jump out of planes. Special forces is not my interest, at least at this time. I have great respect for the SF but at this time it is not in my list of goals.

Having said that, i was hoping some one here could give me some solid advice about getting to an airborne unit.

From what i understand HALO jumping is very much SOF/SF only, is this true?

Once in an airborne unit, does it limit the schools i can go to?

If you had to choose an airborne unit to serve in, where would you go?

Thanks in advance for any advice, I have done my own research, but i'd like to get the professionals take on it.

-matt

[Pete]

If you walk into a recruiter's office and say "I don't care what MOS I get I just want to be Airborne" I'm sure he'll find you a slot and get you started on the road.

BUT Airborne is only how you get to work. It's what you do at work that counts.

If you'll be happy as a grunt in the 82nd, as many thousands of good privates have done, then go for it.

If you have other plans then go talk to a recruiter to try and find an MOS more to your liking.

[sinjefe]

Originally Posted by Everyday guy

I wan't to jump out of planes.

You have no idea. There is nothing romantic about a night, combat equipment, mass tac from a fully loaded C130 flying nap of the earth and a non steerable parachute. If you are in the 82nd, that is the majority of the type of jump you will do.

Jumping is 1% of what a tactical airborne unit will do. What about the other 99%? You have to be a hell of a lot deeper than "I want to jump out of planes".

[CDRODA396]

Originally Posted by sinjefe

You have no idea. There is nothing romantic about a night, combat equipment, mass tac from a fully loaded C130 flying nap of the earth and a non steerable parachute. If you are in the 82nd, that is the majority of the type of jump you will do.

Jumping is 1% of what a tactical airborne unit will do. What about the other 99%? You have to be a hell of a lot deeper than "I want to jump out of planes".

What he said...18-22 feet per second rate of decent, loaded down with ruck sack, weapon and load carrying equipment does not make for the same landing you see when the Denver Broncos Parachute team jump the game ball into their stadium on youtube. It breaks people who don't land right, and breaks everyone over time...Then carrying that ruck sack, weapon, and load carrying equipment all night, then all day, then all night again is what being a paratrooper is about.

If your goal is to jump out of a plane, go to a local airport and ask for the Tandem Master. They'll hook you right up and it wont cost you 3-5 years if you decide its not for you.

[Everyday guy]

Originally Posted by Pete

If you walk into a recruiter's office and say "I don't care what MOS I get I just want to be Airborne" I'm sure he'll find you a slot and get you started on the road.

BUT Airborne is only how you get to work. It's what you do at work that counts.

If you'll be happy as a grunt in the 82nd, as many thousands of good privates have done, then go for it.

If you have other plans then go talk to a recruiter to try and find an MOS more to your liking.

What's the difference between the 82nd and other airborne units? I'v heard alot of people refer to them above all other airborne units.

Thanks for the responses guys. I appreciate them

[Everyday guy]

Originally Posted by CDRODA396

What he said...18-22 feet per second rate of decent, loaded down with ruck sack, weapon and load carrying equipment does not make for the same landing you see when the Denver Broncos Parachute team jump the game ball into their stadium on youtube. It breaks people who don't land right, and breaks everyone over time...Then carrying that ruck sack, weapon, and load carrying equipment all night, then all day, then all night again is what being a paratrooper is about.

If your goal is to jump out of a plane, go to a local airport and ask for the Tandem Master. They'll hook you right up and it wont cost you 3-5 years if you decide its not for you.

I have jumped tandem, I enjoyed it.

I assumed there would be a great amount of suck involved, being a soldier for the most part doesn't sound very pleasant at times, but i thought if i was going to put my all into a new culture and profession i'd do it in a way that interests me.

Thanks for the advice.

[sinjefe]

Originally Posted by CDRODA396

Then carrying that ruck sack, weapon, and load carrying equipment all night, then all day, then all night again is what being a paratrooper is about....

And doing raids and ambushes along the way w/o eating or sleeping..... in the rain, heat or snow.

[craigepo]

Have you ever enjoyed a "nap of the earth" flight? My reason for asking is that you will be doing a fair share of jumps after a fun-filled NOE plane ride. After in-flight rigging, while you're getting bounced all over the inside of the damned plane. It never fails that one or two of your buddies forget to apply their scopolamine patch, so the fresh smell of vomit will caress your nostrils en route.

Then, of course, you will stand up and hook up, but the 1st pass of jumpers will get stuck standing up, because the winds on the drop zone are too high, or the damned panels are scrambled, or some dumbass is driving a tank on the drop zone, or any other inane reason, so you get to stand there, hooked up, while the plane makes a race track, and you have one hundred pounds of lightweight shit hanging on your shoulders.

Next time around, you'll get a green light, but you will be shotgunning both doors, so you and your buddy will be banging off each other's static lines while your 'chute is deploying. Then you get to try and steer a very unsteerable parachute around your friends, in the dark, and try to miss obstacles on the ground.

Then, if it's a combat situation, there are these little red and green flashes of light that come zipping by you really fast...

[The Reaper]

Originally Posted by Everyday guy

Good evening gentlemen.

I'm a 24 year old college student thinking about joining the military, for a specific purpose.

I wan't to jump out of planes. Special forces is not my interest, at least at this time. I have great respect for the SF but at this time it is not in my list of goals.

Having said that, i was hoping some one here could give me some solid advice about getting to an airborne unit.

From what i understand HALO jumping is very much SOF/SF only, is this true?

Once in an airborne unit, does it limit the schools i can go to?

If you had to choose an airborne unit to serve in, where would you go?

Thanks in advance for any advice, I have done my own research, but i'd like to get the professionals take on it.

-matt

I highly recommend that you take up skydiving, it requires a lot less commitment in the long run.

TR

[cbtengr]

You respondents would make terrible recruiters, you are all far too honest .

[Golf1echo]

Originally Posted by CDRODA396

It breaks people who don't land right, and breaks everyone over time...Then carrying that ruck sack, weapon, and load carrying equipment all night, then all day, then all night again is what being a paratrooper is about.

Originally Posted by craigepo

Have you ever enjoyed a "nap of the earth" flight? My reason for asking is that you will be doing a fair share of jumps after a fun-filled NOE plane ride... so the fresh smell of vomit will caress your nostrils en route.

Then, of course, you will stand up and hook up, but the 1st pass of jumpers will get stuck standing up, because the winds on the drop zone are too high, or the damned panels are scrambled, or some dumbass is driving a tank on the drop zone, or any other inane reason, so you get to stand there, hooked up, while the plane makes a race track, and you have one hundred pounds of lightweight shit hanging on your shoulders.

Such great memories...that you will not forget...Was that bug eyed guy kicking and screaming riding with the wind right in front of me... maybe I should not have hooked him up?

[Badger52]

Originally Posted by cbtengr

You respondents would make terrible recruiters, you are all far too honest .

After I was back from AIT my recruiter told me over lunch "Once you can fake sincerity you've got it made."

[Everyday guy]

These responses gave me quite a bit to think about.

As for taking up sky diving, i just mite do that.

I'm not worried about a commitment of 3-5 years. If and when i decide to sign a contract i'll be doing it with a clear head and my eyes wide open.

Again, i'm glad i came on these forums to ask about this subject, i seem to have got some real world feed back to think about. Thanks again.

[Ambush Master]

The Jumps in the attached Photos were "Hollywood-Jumps" i.e. NO Epuipment. The Video is @ Ft Bragg, an 82nd Equipment Dump!!

As said before, The Airborne part is just the Bus Ride to Work!!

http://www.professionalsoldiers.com/...light=airborne

Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bC8HDPEg_ho

[Old Dog New Trick]

Just volunteer for 11B "Ranger" option.

Then no matter what after you get done with training and assignment to one of only three units in the whole Army you will get the most out of jumping from "perfectly good airplanes!"

Good luck, remember to have fun!