Should Airborne School be a requirement to serve in an Airborne Unit?

2014-05-05T03:00:31-04:00

First off, I am not trying to offend anybody that is not airborne that is currently serving in an airborne unit. But doesn't it make sense that if you are in the unit, you should be airborne qualified? Some people also argue that being airborne is an obsolete skill. Just looking for some thoughts. Thanks.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 5 at 2014 12:20 PM

2014-05-05T12:20:08-04:00

It's not an obsolete skill, however if you are assigned to a Airborne unit you should be Airborne qualified to be able full fill the any mission given. Just like myself being in a Air Assault division I need to be Air Assault qualified to be able to full fill the mission required.

Response by SFC Stephen P. made May 5 at 2014 12:46 PM

2014-05-05T12:46:41-04:00

Serving in a unit shouldn't require the training, but positions in a unit require a certain MOS, grade, SQI, ASI, and language.

If your position requires it, you should be qualified or become qualified shortly after assuming it.

Response by SSG Todd Halverson made May 5 at 2014 1:06 PM

2014-05-05T13:06:28-04:00

To be a part of a specific division one should not need the specific training, ie ABN / AASLT. Having served with both the 101st and 82nd in Afghanistan, I did so not being either ABN or AASLT. I served both in a support / service role and the fact I was either one did not affect the job I did. Only if the specific job requires the training should you be required to have that training. For example if you want to be a part of JSOC, you should have all of the required training to support their mission.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 23 at 2014 9:26 AM

2014-05-23T09:26:30-04:00

If you in a Airborne unit, ether show up with them or be prepared to go get them!

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 27 at 2014 6:00 PM

2014-12-27T18:00:22-05:00

Absolutely, if you are going to serve in an active Airborne unit you should be Airborne qualified. My advice would be to fulfill every requirement your duty position requires. For example, if your duty position has and SQI and/or ASI then you should fulfill those requirements to be fully qualified for the position.

Response by PO2 Corey Ferretti made Dec 27 at 2014 6:15 PM

2014-12-27T18:15:59-05:00

Why would you go to an Airborne unit with out your jump wings or prepared to go to school to earn them? I would of figured that as an airborne unit it would be a requirement.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 12 at 2015 11:50 AM

2015-09-12T11:50:51-04:00

Yes you should be airborne qualified. If you are not you should volunteer to go to airborne school before you get to your assignment.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 12 at 2015 11:51 AM

2015-09-12T11:51:29-04:00

If you are in a spot that is jump status then you should have a certain amount of time to go to airborne school. If you don't meet that deadline then find a new home.

Response by SSG Leo Bell made Sep 12 at 2015 11:55 AM

2015-09-12T11:55:38-04:00

It would be nice to be a requirement for everyone to be airborne, but that's not really realistic because you will always have soldiers who don't need the quall's because of there jobs as a support soldier in the unit. But if they are part of the unit they should be offered the opportunity to go if they are will to take the challenge and want the glory of be one of the family of airborne.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 12 at 2015 11:59 AM

2015-09-12T11:59:38-04:00

In my opinion, there are MOSs that can be in an airborne unit without being airborne qualified. Some are just a waste of money.

Response by SSG Jamil Spruill made Sep 12 at 2015 12:01 PM

2015-09-12T12:01:41-04:00

I think non airborne personnel contribute in a big way to non airborne units but airborne units are known for taking the most high speed type missions and participating in some of the best training. You can't go to Ranger Battalion without RASP/RIP, you can't remain in SF without doing SFBCC-S, must be air assault to be in their units so why not be airborne to be in an elite unit, only makes sense

Response by LTC Kevin B. made Sep 12 at 2015 12:09 PM

2015-09-12T12:09:35-04:00

If your job will ever require you to jump, or require you to have specific knowledge about the process of jumping out of a plane, then yes. However, spending the money to train someone for something they'll never do, just to "fit in", seems to me like a waste of resources. In my opinion, the cost-benefit trade-off is not worth it.

Response by SGT Scott Bell made Sep 12 at 2015 12:23 PM

2015-09-12T12:23:23-04:00

Yes

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 12 at 2015 12:35 PM

2015-09-12T12:35:55-04:00

A requirement? Not unanimously, no. I think it would depend on your job. If you are in, say 2nd AIBCT, 82nd, but you work as a PAC clerk, then you probably dont have a reason to jump. But if you're a line guy, and you know that you'll be boots-on-ground at some point, being in an airborne unit doesn't make much sense if you aint got the wings.

Response by COL Jon Thompson made Sep 12 at 2015 12:57 PM

2015-09-12T12:57:22-04:00

I didn't even know you could get assigned to the 82nd without being Airborne qualified. That makes no sense at least in the Brigade and below levels.

Response by SSG Leo Bell made Sep 12 at 2015 1:20 PM

2015-09-12T13:20:30-04:00

Hell yes. There is no better country to serve for. I may not agree with all what the government has us do or all of there political agenda but I would not have changed nothing I did while serving my country.

Response by CSM Michael Chavaree made Sep 12 at 2015 1:38 PM

2015-09-12T13:38:06-04:00

If their position is not tactical and they by duty position would never be a part of an Airborne operation... Then no, every person that is on jump status takes away from a trigger puller that needs to jump. Getting birds/chutes/Riggers and support costs money that we just dont have. I would limit it to only folks that support the actual Airborne mission as outlined in the METL.

Response by MAJ Keith FitzPatrick, CPIM, CSCP made Sep 12 at 2015 2:02 PM

2015-09-12T14:02:29-04:00

I think you need to be airborne qualified if you are in an airborne unit so long as you have a jump slot. In the good 'ol days, the 1st COSCOM was an airborne unit, but had few jump slots. No need to be airborne qualified if you didn't have one of those slots. I would think that everyone in the 82nd should be airborne qualified.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 12 at 2015 2:02 PM

2015-09-12T14:02:43-04:00

Airborne school should be required for every soldier in the army

Response by COL Ted Mc made Sep 12 at 2015 2:32 PM

2015-09-12T14:32:39-04:00

SPC Private RallyPoint Member - Spec; Did you know that, during WWII, the British SOE developed a method of training parachutists what resulted in one quarter the amount of training injuries that jumpers in traditional airborne units suffered?

Do you know what it was and do you know how many jumps were made before the person was qualified?

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 12 at 2015 3:35 PM

2015-09-12T15:35:55-04:00

I feel you should represent the unit you're in, it's not only having pride in your unit, yourself. If you're in an air assault division be AA qualified. If you're in an ABN unit then you should too.

Response by SSG Todd Lysfjord made Sep 12 at 2015 4:42 PM

2015-09-12T16:42:11-04:00

Since there have been several airborne assaults in the current war I wouldn't call the insertion method obsolete.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 12 at 2015 5:36 PM

2015-09-12T17:36:04-04:00

So this questions is a statement of complacency. Sure airborne and legs land in combat zones in the same planes these days, but that doesn't mean a mission won't come down the pipes in the future requiring our soldiers to jump in. If you have a bunch of non airborne q soldiers primarily in roles of non combat arms like supply or hr... Well they cannot jump with the battalion. Leading eventually to a non combat ready unit as they scamble to find soldiers that are airborne q in those job positions.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 13 at 2015 8:59 AM

2015-09-13T08:59:00-04:00

Not all slots in Airborne units require you to be Airborne. Honestly I think that number will decrease as budgets contine to shrink.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 13 at 2015 11:10 AM

2015-09-13T11:10:13-04:00

If it were obsolete the Army would've done away with it. Having served my career in Airborne units. They are coded slots, so if you don't hold that skill and don't want to obtain it, then move on. I don't think they should be able to continue to hold the slot, they are holding up someone else's career who wants to perform the duties with the skill.
The other side is my non-Airborne soldiers are always placed on duties, so I can maximize my jumpers. But again, theyre in a 'P' slot so they are holding a slot they're not fully qualified for. Its not about how they work, the Army had said these soldiers need this skill set to perform in this unit.
Just for reference I am Air Assault, Senior Parachutist and Pathfinder qualified. For me I'm not a badge seeker, I have the skills and use them all and hold coded slots as PSG in the only MTOE FSC and only Airborne OpFor.

Response by SGT Tommy Silvas made Sep 13 at 2015 3:15 PM

2015-09-13T15:15:40-04:00

I couldnt imagine being in an airborne unit and not have jump wings, I think life would be most unpleasant. AIRBORNE, ALL THE WAY!!!

Response by COL Jason Smallfield, PMP, CFM, CM made Sep 13 at 2015 6:18 PM

2015-09-13T18:18:33-04:00

Short answer: Yes, all personnel assigned to an airborne unit should be airborne qualified.
Long Answer:
- Forced entry operations. The US can not hope that all operations will involve an adjacent or close by country where we can conduct RSOI. The US must have the capability and the capacity to "force the door" open.
- History. The people who argue that airborne is an obsolete skill tend to also be the ones who argue that we have seen the last of war. Large scale airborne operations such as Operation Market Garden or D Day may not be seen again but smaller scale operations to seize an airfield or a port to set conditions for follow on operations have not yet been overcome by technology, organizations, alliances, or the like.
- Organizational mission. If the purpose of an organization is to get to the fight by means of parachute drop then why would someone be in the organization who can not do this? Kind of like joining a football team but wanting to play basketball instead. Makes no sense.
-

Response by SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. made Sep 13 at 2015 10:40 PM

2015-09-13T22:40:00-04:00

Off hand I was going to say yes.
But then .. my old unit in Vietnam (26th Inf Reg) was straight leg.
Recently they got reassigned to the 101st.
Are you going to send an entire Regiment thru Jump School?
There ain't enough beer in Georgia!

Response by LTC Stephen C. made Sep 14 at 2015 12:45 AM

2015-09-14T00:45:22-04:00

SPC Private RallyPoint Member, I'd hate to be a leg in an airborne unit!

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Sep 14 at 2015 8:30 AM

2015-09-14T08:30:36-04:00

Yes. It makes sense

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 14 at 2015 12:26 PM

2015-09-14T12:26:39-04:00

Absolutely. Just because Airborne operations haven't been applicable to the battlefields of the past 14 years, doesn't mean it's an obsolete proficiency. We owe it to ourselves as a force and to the American people to prepare for future battlefields as well as present ones.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 15 at 2015 12:11 PM

2015-09-15T12:11:41-04:00

Absolutely. When I was with the 82nd we were ALL airborne qualified.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 15 at 2015 11:08 PM

2015-09-15T23:08:51-04:00

beyond the obvious ability to be delivered anywhere on the planet; beyond the conversation of airborne relevance in the modern era, here are my thoughts:

Airborne is a critical skill because it teaches soldiers to do some really important things
1. overcome natural fear to do what is not logical aka to jump out of a perfectly functional aircraft at a height that would kill you
2. to follow preset instructions which are designed to defeat death and safeguard your life
3. to follow said instructions, on time, and execute preset instruction on order in the face of obvious danger and fear
4. to do so, preserve your life and those of others, over and over again

if that isnt combat training, nothing is....

Response by SSgt William Quinn, MSSCM made Sep 16 at 2015 6:06 PM

2015-09-16T18:06:46-04:00

If during the performance of their normal duties they would have occasion to jump out of an airplane I would say yes if their primary duty would not require them to jump out of an airplane I would say no. That's like asking that if everyone attached to an F-18 squadron be qualified to fly the plane or if everyone in a tank Battalion know how to drive the tank so the answer is no.

Response by SSG Nick Tramontano made Sep 26 at 2015 12:52 AM

2015-09-26T00:52:04-04:00

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 10 at 2015 11:21 AM

2015-10-10T11:21:56-04:00

No, I do not think it should be a requirement. There are many Airborne units full of talented people that have no desire to be Airborne. Under certain circumstances, there may be units that require everyone to be on jump status but it's not feasible to require it IMO.

Response by CPL Randy Bautista made Oct 10 at 2015 11:35 AM

2015-10-10T11:35:15-04:00

I was in a heavy armored unit. I was cross trained with tanks while there. I never drove on in combate but I was prepared for what ever the unit required of me

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Oct 21 at 2015 6:56 PM

2015-10-21T18:56:05-04:00

I agree airborne all the way. Whoever said airborne is an obsolete skill did not conduct proper research. We use the rangers to seize a piece of ground quickly.

In 1989 during the U.S invasion of Panama the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division made its first combat jump in over 40 years. The 1st Brigade of the 82nd secured Omar Torrijos International Airport in Tocumen, Panama. The jump followed the 1st Ranger Battalion(+) of the 75th Ranger Regiment's combat jump onto the airfield. M551 Sheridan tanks were also dropped by air, the only time this capability was used in combat. At the same time as the combat jump onto Omar Torrijos International Airport, the 2nd and 3rd(-) Ranger Battalions, along with the 75th Ranger Regiment regimental headquarters, conducted a combat jump onto Rio Hato Airport.
On October 19, 2001 as part of Operation Enduring Freedom, the 3rd Ranger Battalion and a small Command and Control Element from the Regimental Headquarters of the 75th Ranger Regiment jumped into Kandahar to secure an airfield.[17]
On March 23, 2003 A co 3/75 Ranger Regiment conducted a combat jump into Northern Iraq, to seize a desert airfield.[18][19][20]
On March 26, 2003 the U.S. 173rd Airborne Brigade conducted a combat jump into Northern Iraq, during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, to seize an airfield and support special forces: Task Force Viking. The paratroopers departed from Aviano Air Base, Italy on fifteen C-17s.[21][22][23]

Response by SGT Drew Clark made Jan 27 at 2017 12:59 AM

2017-01-27T00:59:26-05:00

I use to feel like it did matter, but as my career moved forward, I felt being Airborne was more of a perk, automatic promotions point, first pick for schools, but some Airborne Units, should consist of all Airborne Personnel, to better conduct airborne operations.

Response by LTC Stephen C. made Jan 27 at 2017 1:04 AM

2017-01-27T01:04:12-05:00

This question has been asked a number of times on this forum, SPC Private RallyPoint Member, and I just realized I have already responded!

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 13 at 2018 1:11 PM

2018-03-13T13:11:54-04:00

During the surge, 1 BCT 82nd ABN was supplemented with a lot of Non-ABN personnel to give us some bodies. They did fine in the deployment, but as soon as we got back they had two options. Go to Airborne school, or go somewhere else.

Response by CW3 Kevin Storm made Mar 13 at 2018 7:57 PM

2018-03-13T19:57:13-04:00

So if your unit is short a Medical Doctor, should we throw them out of an aircraft get injured now you are back to square one?

Response by SSG Shoyn Jones made Sep 17 at 2018 8:49 PM

2018-09-17T20:49:09-04:00

Yes

Response by SFC Ralph E Kelley made Sep 18 at 2018 6:02 AM

2018-09-18T06:02:34-04:00

In answer to the question - Yes. Everyone should be Airborne in an Airborne unit.

Response by CPO Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 18 at 2018 7:43 AM

2018-09-18T07:43:10-04:00

Not Army, but if you are with a Unit, you should have same Basic qualifications, to be able to understand the main mission of the unit and be an extra to help if needed at any point during operations.

Response by SPC Thomas Moreland made Sep 21 at 2018 1:26 AM

2018-09-21T01:26:11-04:00

I was a leg in a airborne unit for 4 years, with 2 deployments. I didn't ask to go to the unit, got me out of AIT, they just stood up and needed the bodies for a deployment. Being a leg didn't effect me or my job performance one bit. Other than jumping, there's really no difference between them and the leg units I was in after.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 5 at 2018 11:51 PM

2018-11-05T23:51:56-05:00

100% Yes! If the unit is going to jump in to combat and you can't, then you are NMC and need to be reassigned. Same goes for Air Assualt, Ranger, ect.

Response by SFC Tom Kuleck made Dec 18 at 2018 1:04 AM

2018-12-18T01:04:29-05:00

MANY YEARS AGO those assigned to the 509th PIR in Mainz, Germany were given the option of attending the local 8th Inf Div jump school or take reassignment. 8th Inf Jump School back in the early 60’s was TOUGH.

Response by 1SG Myron Pullum, MBA made Dec 18 at 2018 12:12 PM

2018-12-18T12:12:08-05:00

I was a senior NCO when I went to jump school. They called me old Sarge. Ran those puppies in to the ground, huah! I was assigned to an airborne unit at Fort Drum at the time and told Post CSM that I needed a slot if I was gonna be the 1SG. Can’t be a leg in an airborne unit!

Response by Denzel Battle made Jan 10 at 2019 9:48 AM

2019-01-10T09:48:18-05:00

Why would someone volunteer for a unit and not take that unit training. I don’t understand

Response by SSG Jess Peters made Dec 26 at 2019 3:25 PM

2019-12-26T15:25:40-05:00

Yes. Of course.

Response by Cpl Bernard Bates made Dec 26 at 2019 5:40 PM

2019-12-26T17:40:23-05:00

I would think that if you were in a unit that is airborne and you are not airborne qualified then you wouldn't wear an airborne patch or jump wings. on the other hand if you go to combat in a helicopter like air cav. then you are technically air borne, If your feet leave the ground then you are airborne. Its a play on words. In the Marine Corp they called marines qualified to jump "Chutists" because they didn't want to be mistaken for Airborne. Anybody that flies in a plane, chopper , blimp or hot air Balloon is Airborne. Semper Fi.

Response by SGT Daniel Merriman made Jul 12 at 2021 10:19 PM

2021-07-12T22:19:21-04:00

Why would you want to go to a abn unit as a LEG. !!! Dumass

Response by MAJ Ronnie Reams made Dec 18 at 2022 10:09 AM

2022-12-18T10:09:14-05:00

Depends on your job. I was a plans officer at DCSIM USASOC and a leg. Had to wear the AB tab because part of SOC Patch and the maroon beanie because it was organizational headgear. Never felt need to jump out of a perfectly good airplane, and it did not affect my job performance.

Response by MAJ Ronnie Reams made Apr 7 at 2023 11:12 AM

2023-04-07T11:12:23-04:00

Depends on whther your job reuires jumpimg.