AIRBORNE  SCHOOL
The Basic Airborne Course is
conducted at Fort Benning, Georgia. It is one of the most physically
demanding yet rewarding courses in the US Army. This course is
available to both men and women volunteers of all services and
is three weeks in duration.
During the first week, students
encounter daily physical fitness and basic parachutist training.
They are taught how to wear the parachute harness and how to use
special training apparatus. The mock door allows the student to
learn the proper method of exiting an aircraft; the parachute landing
fall platform assists the student in developing proper parachute
landings; the lateral drift apparatus develops the proper technique
for controlling the parachute during descent; and the 34-foot tower
exposes the student to the physical sensation of the actual jump.
The second week of training is a learning reinforcement
period with continued physical training and the addition of more
apparatus such as the swing landing trainer which teaches the student
to deal with oscillation and landing falls. In this second week,
the cadet is also taught landing procedures and recovery from the
drag. Parachute jumps from the 250-foot tower culminate this week
of training and constitute the final transition from ground training
to actual parachuting.
During the evaluation phase, or jump week, the
student makes five qualifying jumps. Three use the conventional
parachute and two jumps use the new steerable parachute.
Throughout the fast moving course of instruction,
mental alertness and physical conditioning are emphasized. Physical
conditioning is a must prior to attending this course. Airborne
School is designed for those who possess the desire, motivation
and courage to join the elite fraternity known as "THE AIRBORNE".
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