Posted on Sep 20, 2020
What advice do you have for someone trying to put in a 4187 to go to Airborne School from a non-Airborne unit?
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lemme give y’all a lil run down .. I’m in fort bliss trying to go Airborne. Although my unit is not an “airborne unit “ it’s still rare for me to go.. I finished my phase I & phase II airborne packet so all I need is a 4187. Any advise ? Been in this unit since may so anything can help me.
Posted in these groups: 
Airborne Trainee
25B: Information Technology Specialist
Branch Manager
Branch Chief
Fort Bliss
Airborne Trainee 25B: Information Technology Specialist Branch Manager Branch Chief Fort Bliss
Posted 4 y ago
Responses: 4
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Your unit can’t help you get to Airborne School, they are not an Airborne unit and not authorized to send people. Airborne is an SQI not an ASI. Like Drill Sergeant, Recruiter, or EOA you will only attend the school enroute to an assignment where you will use that. What that means for you is that in order for you to go Airborne you will PCS to an Airborne unit and attend Airborne school TDY enroute.
From your current position, there are two ways to request Airborne. The first is that you are in your Reenlistment window, 15 months from ETS, and request Airborne training as your reenlistment option. You will only need your Airborne physical completed and signed.
The second way is for your branch manager to place you on an Airborne Assignment and send you TDY enroute to Airborne school. You will need to contact your branch manager and they will need a 4187 requesting Airborne school with your company commander and battalion commander endorsement, your physical, and a memo stating you can run 5 miles in 45 minutes signed by your company commander. The example memo can be found on the school website.
The problem with the first option is that you may not be anywhere near your reenlistment window. However you only need one year on station for this route.
The problem with the second one is that your branch will usually require at least two years on station and you are an initial term Soldier. Branch managers usually have the guidance to leave Initial term Soldiers alone and tell them to work their options through reenlistment when the time comes.
If anyone from your unit tells you that they can get you into Airborne school, it is either a lie or they are unaware of the policy. The only other way to get into Airborne school is to walk on, and you have to be at Benning to walk on. If you happen to already be on TDY or leave in Benning and walk on, then you can attend. However, it is illegal for the Army to pay for your flight to a class that you don’t actually have a seat for, which makes walking on for non Airborne units nearly impossible.
From your current position, there are two ways to request Airborne. The first is that you are in your Reenlistment window, 15 months from ETS, and request Airborne training as your reenlistment option. You will only need your Airborne physical completed and signed.
The second way is for your branch manager to place you on an Airborne Assignment and send you TDY enroute to Airborne school. You will need to contact your branch manager and they will need a 4187 requesting Airborne school with your company commander and battalion commander endorsement, your physical, and a memo stating you can run 5 miles in 45 minutes signed by your company commander. The example memo can be found on the school website.
The problem with the first option is that you may not be anywhere near your reenlistment window. However you only need one year on station for this route.
The problem with the second one is that your branch will usually require at least two years on station and you are an initial term Soldier. Branch managers usually have the guidance to leave Initial term Soldiers alone and tell them to work their options through reenlistment when the time comes.
If anyone from your unit tells you that they can get you into Airborne school, it is either a lie or they are unaware of the policy. The only other way to get into Airborne school is to walk on, and you have to be at Benning to walk on. If you happen to already be on TDY or leave in Benning and walk on, then you can attend. However, it is illegal for the Army to pay for your flight to a class that you don’t actually have a seat for, which makes walking on for non Airborne units nearly impossible.
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Keep trying -- there are plenty of billets with your skillset within the airborne community -- this decision makes you a cut above -- SFC Boyd's advice is sound. Good Luck on this endeavor Airborne All The Way!
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All you can really do now is continue to have your unit operations NCO check on the status of your packet.
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MAJ Byron Oyler
PFC (Join to see) - What is your squad leader or PLT SGT doing for you? We can give you all the advice in the world but your packet and 4187 will have to go through your chain of command.
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PFC (Join to see)
honestly , my PLT SGT hasn’t helped me with anything.. I’ve told him about me being interested in going airborne but he has no clue on how to go about the process .. so I’ve been doing the process on my own (yes I know you have to do certain things like this and learn on your own especially if you want it badly) but it just sucks not having the right guidance and info on what to actually do. MAJ Byron Oyler
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SGM Jeff Bullard
A 4187 is supposed to be submitted with all your paperwork. So as of now your really don’t have an Airborne packet. Never submit any paperwork without making copies ( digital or hard copy).PFC (Join to see)
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SGT(P) (Join to see)
PFC (Join to see) - You can get a slip from your OPS NCO to go to S1 on your own and find out how to properly fill in the 4187. The main obstacle will be getting the signatures from your Company Commandr, BN Commander, BDE Commander (it may need even higher authority) for such school, because Ft Bliss have no financing or interest in getting their Soldiers to Airborne school.
The best way is to ask your career counselor for your next assignment to be one of the Airborne units. They have Airborne unit in Italy, if you're up for some traveling. And most important - don't give up!
I wish you luck and hope you'll get what you want.
The best way is to ask your career counselor for your next assignment to be one of the Airborne units. They have Airborne unit in Italy, if you're up for some traveling. And most important - don't give up!
I wish you luck and hope you'll get what you want.
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