Posted on May 5, 2014
Should Airborne School be a requirement to serve in an Airborne Unit?
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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.
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 56
If you're supposed to be deployable and you're in a deployable unit then yes.
No different than Marines having to fulfill swim qualification regardless of MOS. Not every Marine will end up riding a boat from point A to B, but any Marine could get ordered to do so.
Fun fact: that was the first way I went to South Korea for the Key Resolve exercise in 2008. We traveled by boat!
No different than Marines having to fulfill swim qualification regardless of MOS. Not every Marine will end up riding a boat from point A to B, but any Marine could get ordered to do so.
Fun fact: that was the first way I went to South Korea for the Key Resolve exercise in 2008. We traveled by boat!
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Definitely make sense. If you want to be assigned to an airborne unit, then you should be airborne. Especially knowing what's at stake when dealing with airborne operations and safety protocols. If not, maybe as support elements with Rear D, administration and logistics.
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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.
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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.
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Why would someone volunteer for a unit and not take that unit training. I don’t understand
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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!
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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.
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