Is it possible for non-essential USMC personnel to get their jump wings?

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 10 Nov 2016 13:25:29 -0500

More specificly, is it possible for non-essential personel to get their jump wings? Specificly in the Marine Corps.

I know they did away with the reenlistment incentive years back, but is it possible to get into the school without being recon, angilco, pilot, ect?

Response by CW5 Sam R. Baker made Nov 10 at 2016 1:33 PM

CW5 Sam R. Baker — Thu, 10 Nov 2016 13:33:09 -0500

As for jump wings in the Army, I am not sure, people still go in non-essential status much like Air Assault School. Ranger School and other things I know are closed to non-essential as they used to be open for pilots. Maybe someone at the school house will chime in. I am not AIRBORNE even having served for 14 years in the 101st Airborne Division. Does the Marine Corps have its own or do they go to the Army course.

Response by SN Greg Wright made Nov 10 at 2016 2:32 PM

SN Greg Wright — Thu, 10 Nov 2016 14:32:49 -0500

There's non-essential Marines?

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Nov 10 at 2016 3:04 PM

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel — Thu, 10 Nov 2016 15:04:05 -0500

Not sure but there has always been "Workarounds" that allowed folks outside a Certain Job Field to Gain Qualifications, It is usually a lot more challenging and takes a bit more time but I hope there is a way to get your Jump Wings.

Response by LTC Stephen C. made Nov 10 at 2016 3:37 PM

LTC Stephen C. — Thu, 10 Nov 2016 15:37:18 -0500

GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad or Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS may have an answer for you.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Nov 10 at 2016 3:58 PM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Thu, 10 Nov 2016 15:58:39 -0500

Several years ago it was. The USMC gets "class seats" at the Division Level which they farm down to Regiments/BNs. We don't use all of them. Most of the time they will go to some "hard charger" as a reward/incentive. The trick is talking to your local training NCO (inside Ops S3) and finding out if there are any class seats and how you go about getting one.

On a Reserve side, I'm not even sure how you would go about it since they would be Active Duty orders for Training, which is unit/training funds making it more challenging.

Response by SFC George Smith made Nov 10 at 2016 7:25 PM

SFC George Smith — Thu, 10 Nov 2016 19:25:11 -0500

Thats a marine thing Any can go to Jump school but your command has to make the decision if its worth the Money they are going to spend to send you...

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 11 at 2016 11:25 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 11 Nov 2016 11:25:08 -0500

"non-essential USMC personnel" No such thing.

Response by SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA made Nov 11 at 2016 5:57 PM

SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA — Fri, 11 Nov 2016 17:57:17 -0500

I can't say for sure, but I can tell you that I went to Airborne School with two USMC Majors, and as I bounce back and forth between Benning and Bragg, I keep seeing one of them around. He still has his Basic Parachutist Badge, meaning that in the three years since we graduated, he has yet to complete the additional five jumps required to earn his Navy and Marine Corps Parachutist Insignia. This suggests to me that his job doesn't require much parachuting, and therefore Airborne School was not exactly essential for his job.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 11 at 2016 5:58 PM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 11 Nov 2016 17:58:28 -0500

When I was at 3/11 many of our Radio Operators could get jump school. Any Marine could request it but some MOS have preference. Hope you have good luck!

Response by Maj John Bell made Nov 12 at 2016 11:34 AM

Maj John Bell — Sat, 12 Nov 2016 11:34:16 -0500

Had my slot to jump school "stolen" by the Bn XO. The Bn SgtMaj explained that I served a useful purpose, whereas the XO was just breathing our oxygen. The SgtMaj assured me that if the Marine Corps needed me to jump from an airplane, there was plenty of time for training on the flight to the drop zone.

Response by SGT Scott Hutten made Nov 13 at 2016 6:04 AM

SGT Scott Hutten — Sun, 13 Nov 2016 06:04:17 -0500

I've seen US Army Airborne wings on uniforms of soldiers of different US Military branches. I've also seen other countries' Airborne wings on U.S. Special Forces soldier's uniforms. First off - anything is possible...but my guess is that unless you are in a commissioned, leadership-type position you're chances aren't very likely of landing an Airborne school slot. I've heard some enlisted soldiers referred to as "badge-finders" simply for being interested/curious about various schools. I say go for it, Sarge. Be all you can be. Semper Fi.

Response by MSG Brad Sand made Nov 14 at 2016 1:06 PM

MSG Brad Sand — Mon, 14 Nov 2016 13:06:20 -0500

Possible? Anything and everything is possible. The real question is the number of seats available to your service and how hard you are willing to fight to get one of those seats.

Response by Sgt Paul McCarthy made Nov 15 at 2016 6:20 AM

Sgt Paul McCarthy — Tue, 15 Nov 2016 06:20:22 -0500

Yes. Your unit has to have a billet for the qual. Most aviation units have a billet for a jump qual'd parachute rigger to work out of aviation life support. I noticed this on duty one night while perusing the TO&E. The next day, I applied for the school and was approved to attend. Unfortunately, we got a jump qual'd gunny in flight equipment before my class seat was scheduled. So yes, it can be done.

Response by Capt Tom Brown made Nov 15 at 2016 6:59 AM

Capt Tom Brown — Tue, 15 Nov 2016 06:59:43 -0500

I too got qualified via a 'guest jumper' slot through the 2d MarDiv G3. I happened to be working in the G3 shop at the time and for some unknown reason ended up with orders to Benning. I did not ask how that came to be, but went hoping and praying I would not 'crash & burn in the LZ'. I never held a jump qualified billet and only made 4 guest jumps after the 5 at Benning before I landed in the trees at Camp Lejeune and that was the end of my jumping career. In retrospect it was an honor to attend.

Response by Sgt Dean Kutz Sr. made Nov 15 at 2016 7:12 AM

Sgt Dean Kutz Sr. — Tue, 15 Nov 2016 07:12:33 -0500

No it is not possible

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 15 at 2016 7:20 AM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 15 Nov 2016 07:20:54 -0500

Yes, it is. When I was going through HAWK Missile training in '96 they offered the instructors in my MOS school a chance to go. They had one slot available. That being said, you have to actively hunt it down, fight off a rabid pack of 2nd Lts, beat your PLT SGT over the head with a shovel, and manually stimulate your company commander to get the slot.

Response by Cpl Joshua Caldwell made Nov 15 at 2016 8:53 AM

Cpl Joshua Caldwell — Tue, 15 Nov 2016 08:53:21 -0500

Technically you don't need the school, you just need the jumps. I was an MP and we had a CO who was an academy grad and he had a another academy grad lined up with the planes for us to get our jumps in. The deal hinged on that air wing unit needing to fly more training jumps. I can't remember how it all fell apart but we were scheduled to make the jumps and rate the wings, without the school.
With that all being said, I don't think I ever met anyone who had the wings without an MOS that required it.

Response by LCpl Paul Messer made Nov 15 at 2016 9:03 AM

LCpl Paul Messer — Tue, 15 Nov 2016 09:03:26 -0500

Many things have chanced since I was in, but most of the Marines I knew that had jump wings got them while in the Army and they reenlisted in the Corps.

Response by 1stLt Bill Quillin made Nov 15 at 2016 9:27 AM

1stLt Bill Quillin — Tue, 15 Nov 2016 09:27:46 -0500

No.

Response by Sgt Stan Dickerson made Nov 15 at 2016 9:55 AM

Sgt Stan Dickerson — Tue, 15 Nov 2016 09:55:52 -0500

Back in my day it was All about RECON. But I was awarded my Silver Star and the one star that gave it to me noticed I was going to Marine Barracks at Rota. He said the most Beautiful thing on a set of "Class A's " is wings and asked if I would be interested in going to jump school. Sure! I'm home on leave get my orders and bingo, made my quals at Benning and my additions with the Spanish in Spain with some Green Beret that trained Spanish forces.

Response by LCpl Jason Ryan made Nov 15 at 2016 11:11 AM

LCpl Jason Ryan — Tue, 15 Nov 2016 11:11:16 -0500

Well first off that's not our job, we take the beach and the Army jumps in after we secure an LZ. Most of the Marines I knew that had jump wings had served with one of the units you mentioned the others were brown noseers that were just trying to make there uniform look cool. If your unit ever has to go to Ft. Bening for training there is a good chance you could get an empty seat in the class. When I was in 2nd LAV BN (now LAR) we did annual training down there. Our C.O. always managed to get 1 or 2 from each PLT into "empty" seats to get qualified.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 15 at 2016 12:48 PM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 15 Nov 2016 12:48:41 -0500

Yes

Response by GySgt Charles O'Connell made Nov 16 at 2016 12:43 PM

GySgt Charles O'Connell — Wed, 16 Nov 2016 12:43:23 -0500

Yes it is, albeit there are fewer school seats. Just for my own curiosity, what are "non-essential USMC personnel"?

Response by CSM Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 17 at 2016 8:20 PM

CSM Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 17 Nov 2016 20:20:59 -0500

I giggle every time I read someone get but hurt from the non-essential comment. Insecure much? LOL

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 16 at 2018 3:20 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 16 Jan 2018 15:20:16 -0500

Heck when I graduated BCT I was ask if I wanted to go to jump school but my buddy (now called battle buddy) in BCT didn't want to go I skipped the request. I was going to a noncombat MOS for AIT. Would have been interesting to be assigned to airborne as a leg.

Response by SGT Edward Thomas made Oct 24 at 2019 12:11 PM

SGT Edward Thomas — Thu, 24 Oct 2019 12:11:16 -0400

Best chance to get that is to go to JCSE at MacDill AFB. What the heck is that you ask? Joint Communications Support Element. They have jump slots. If you’re a Marine and not qualified to jump and in communications, try for this assignment. Many of the Marines I know retired as SgtMaj because of this assignment and getting the school.