Is attending Air Assault school on deployment possible?

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 09 Apr 2021 01:40:38 -0400

Hello all and thank you for your insights and info on my previous questions. I want to maximize the experience I will be getting from my first (and possibly last due to ROTC when I come back) deployment as enlisted, and would like to partake and hopefully obtain Air Assault wings while in Afghanistan. What would be the steps I need to take in order to attend, if it is possible to do so?

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 9 at 2021 1:48 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 09 Apr 2021 01:48:59 -0400

I have heard it be done before but most likely won't happen since it is not a major career advancement school. Now BLC or ALC most definitely would happen. Good luck

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 9 at 2021 1:54 AM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 09 Apr 2021 01:54:36 -0400

They were letting people do it in the CENTCOM AO until they closed everything because of COVID. Then they opened it up again to very limited numbers, kind of how they're doing everything right now. Good luck.

Response by SFC Ralph E Kelley made Apr 9 at 2021 6:17 AM

SFC Ralph E Kelley — Fri, 09 Apr 2021 06:17:58 -0400

They used to just throw you outta the Chopp... Sorry wrong memory.

Response by SSgt Christophe Murphy made Apr 9 at 2021 9:50 AM

SSgt Christophe Murphy — Fri, 09 Apr 2021 09:50:29 -0400

Things like that are just random happenstance and not something you can plan in advance. If the opportunity presents itself jump on it but life on deployment is pretty fluid and things happen and change on a daily basis in that environment. Op tempo is also a factor and it also changes from day to day.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 9 at 2021 10:43 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 09 Apr 2021 10:43:24 -0400

You probably stand a better chance of attending AA school while in ROTC than you would trying to find a course being conducted in Afghanistan

Response by CW4 Anthoney Lowry made Apr 9 at 2021 11:17 AM

CW4 Anthoney Lowry — Fri, 09 Apr 2021 11:17:33 -0400

our Battalion XO, left Afghanistan after 6 months to attend a school. the rest of us had to stay the full 12+ months. but he got to go home early. he got his bronze star, so did the next guy who took his place. but i highly doubt you will be afford the same luxury when you deploy. Did i mention the rest of us had to spend the entire 12+ months in Afghanistan?

Response by CSM Danny S. made Apr 9 at 2021 2:57 PM

CSM Danny S. — Fri, 09 Apr 2021 14:57:27 -0400

They have 1 or 2 Air Assault Courses a year in Kuwait (Camp Buehring) but I can't see your command sending you to one of them from Afghanistan.

Response by SFC Casey O'Mally made Apr 9 at 2021 5:31 PM

SFC Casey O'Mally — Fri, 09 Apr 2021 17:31:45 -0400

It is incredibly expensive to send you FROM deployment for AASLT. It would make no sense for a unit to do so UNLESS you were planning an actual aerial insertion, which is not bloody likely, if you are not already in an AASLT unit - in which case they would rely on the folks who are already AASLT qualified.

So.... long story short, I ain't sayin' it ain't gonna happen. Just sayin' I don't think it will.

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 11 at 2021 3:17 PM

CW2 Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 11 Apr 2021 15:17:01 -0400

There's a lot better and more useful things to try and do than AASLT school. It's a badge, and that's about it. Try to concentrate on either obtaining more professional certs, maximizing PT, and college. AASLT, especially for an IT specialist, is essentially useless.
Do you foresee conducting a lot of air insertions? Slingloads? Calculating the amount of weight a helicopter can carry? Setting up a PZ?

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made Apr 12 at 2021 3:59 PM

CSM Darieus ZaGara — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 15:59:10 -0400

It does not seem likely that a Non-AA unit would allow a Soldier to attend during a deployment, there is no value added. You can ask, but don’t be disappointed.

As stated by others, you have a great chance while attending ROTC during summer camp.