What are my chances of getting Airborne school if I go to Fort Bragg?

SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 07 Feb 2016 10:58:57 -0500

I requested a slot for airborne school and I also tried to reenlist for it, but I was denied both times. What are my chances of getting a slot after I get to Ft Bragg?

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 7 at 2016 11:02 AM

SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 07 Feb 2016 11:02:42 -0500

If you go to one of the BCTs your chances are extremely high. Now if you go to one of the CABs units like myself you won't go at all since we don't have Airborne Slots and are not on jump status.

Response by 1SG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 7 at 2016 11:04 AM

1SG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 07 Feb 2016 11:04:41 -0500

Well if you are on orders to Bragg, you will go to Airborne school. When are you reporting? You can talk to your unit and try to get it TDY in route to bragg. You would just need to amend your orders.

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 7 at 2016 11:05 AM

SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 07 Feb 2016 11:05:11 -0500

Yes very dependent on your unit. Re-enlisting doesn't always work because many factors come in to play like MOS, strength for your rank across the army and class availability

Response by MAJ Javier Rivera made Feb 7 at 2016 11:19 AM

MAJ Javier Rivera — Sun, 07 Feb 2016 11:19:51 -0500

Contact your branch manager and ask him to pinpoint you on assignment with a USASOC unit to the earliest possible. If not you could be assigned to anything FORSCOM which could reduce your chances.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 7 at 2016 11:32 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 07 Feb 2016 11:32:32 -0500

My advice is to go special operations. SF, MISO, or CA, you'll get the wings because it's mandatory.

Response by SGT Del Lavature made Feb 7 at 2016 11:47 AM

SGT Del Lavature — Sun, 07 Feb 2016 11:47:24 -0500

About 100%

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 7 at 2016 1:48 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 07 Feb 2016 13:48:47 -0500

You tagged 82 ABN so if 82 ABN it is highest than most places in the Army. It all depends which unit and if it is a coded slot.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Feb 7 at 2016 1:48 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Sun, 07 Feb 2016 13:48:55 -0500

Go to a unit that has priority on Airborne School.

Response by SGT Kristin Wiley made Feb 7 at 2016 4:09 PM

SGT Kristin Wiley — Sun, 07 Feb 2016 16:09:10 -0500

It's easier to get at Fort Bragg. When do you get to Bragg? Are you going to an airborne unit? If so, contact your gaining unit and request it enroute. Otherwise, once you get there look for slots in an airborne unit and see if your command will do a 4187 for a cross-post transfer to an airborne slot. You can also do a 4187 to request Airborne school once you get there, if you're not in an airborne unit. It's something you need to talk to your new command about, since you'll need their support either way.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 7 at 2016 6:26 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 07 Feb 2016 18:26:23 -0500

100%. You do not want to be a leg.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 7 at 2016 6:35 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 07 Feb 2016 18:35:50 -0500

Most of the answers here are grossly inaccurate...
You will not be assigned to any SOF slot without already being Airborne qualified. In fact, you will need to be Airborne qualified, 100 GT, and a Secret Clearance. The same thing about being Airborne goes for the most of the 82nd; you won't be placed in a Parachutist position without being qualified. Since it's not a Parachutist position, there won't be an authorization for Airborne School. Also, you don't have any choice as to which unit you go to. There are a lot of non-Airborne units at Bragg... ADA, COSCOM, 18 Fires, CAB....etc. Also, your current unit won't send you TDY enroute because that would come from unit funds. You actually have a better chance of walking on to Airborne school if you were stationed in Benning.

A while ago your MOS was overstrength which is most likely why your Airborne request was denied.
The best way to go about it is get your Airborne physical and contact your branch manager. As long as the strengths of your MOS at your skill level warrant a need for Airborne school, your branch will give you a slot TDY enroute.

Response by SGT Craig Northacker made Feb 8 at 2016 11:03 AM

SGT Craig Northacker — Mon, 08 Feb 2016 11:03:19 -0500

On the lighter side, during the fuel shortages in the 70's our jumps were reduced so the Air force had to put a bunch of C-130s on the tarmac at Pope to run the engines to qualify for the next period's fuel allotment. Logic as the sole source of divining what will happen in the military is a perilous road - but good luck! So, as active Airborne - we had trouble getting jumps in.

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 9 at 2016 10:25 AM

CW3 Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 09 Feb 2016 10:25:22 -0500

After you get to Bragg you have a 99% chance to be an Airborne, I was a 15R Apache mechanic, people used to tell me that it was impossible for me to be Airborne with that mos, all that changed when I got to Fort Bragg, they want everybody to be airborne

Response by LTC Paul Labrador made Feb 9 at 2016 10:41 AM

LTC Paul Labrador — Tue, 09 Feb 2016 10:41:26 -0500

The Army is not going to send you to a school like Airborne unless you need it to do your job. You want a shot a jump school, get yourself assigned to a slot that needs jump qualification.

Response by MAJ Tex Hall made Feb 9 at 2016 6:16 PM

MAJ Tex Hall — Tue, 09 Feb 2016 18:16:58 -0500

Keep pushing for it, take ANY school the Army offers you and do well at it. SGMs can make things happen!

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 9 at 2016 11:22 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 09 Feb 2016 23:22:07 -0500

So long as you have a GT Score over 110, you can go to a USASOC unit. If you end up there you'll go for sure. Your odds of ending up in one of the 82nd BCTs are much lower because the quantity of units on Bragg requiring mechanics are high. Your better off following everyone's advice and get yourself pinpointed to USASOC. They can only tell you no.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 13 at 2016 11:18 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 13 Feb 2016 11:18:16 -0500

It is high, but not guaranteed. Realize there are many organizations that have few or don't have P slots - 18 Fires, 82nd Sustainment, EOD. It is easier to REQUEST jump school once you're there, though. Just because you're going to Bragg, does NOT mean you're going to jump school. That's completely extreme and therefore false. As many have said, Bragg has many SpecOps organizations that would highly support such ambition. I got jump school while assigned to EOD at Bragg. The company had NO P slots.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 13 at 2016 2:07 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 13 Feb 2016 14:07:59 -0500

Check for an Airborne slot with your branch manager and then you should be able to get an Airborne School slot.

Response by SFC Wesley Arnold, Jr made Feb 13 at 2016 5:30 PM

SFC Wesley Arnold, Jr — Sat, 13 Feb 2016 17:30:06 -0500

I'll try to simplify this for tons of posts ... If you have orders to 82nd ABN DIV your chances are about 85/15. If your orders are to 19th Replacement your chances drop to less than 50/50 as a lot of units have lost Airborne slots or Jump status.

One other option knowing which units have slots for your MOS and jump to ask for a letter of acceptance. For example 16MP BDE as a whole is not on Jump status, but some of their subordinate company still jump.

Response by SP5 Micah Ilowit made Feb 17 at 2016 2:35 AM

SP5 Micah Ilowit — Wed, 17 Feb 2016 02:35:28 -0500

I requested to go to Bragg after 9/11. Initially I was going to have to extend my enlistment to get Airborne School, but I ended up in 3 SFG (A) and they have their own separate budget so I was sent to Airborne school without having to extend. Like SGT Evans said, I imagine that as long as you're in a unit with jump status you'll get sent to airborne school one way or another.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 19 at 2016 3:24 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 15:24:14 -0500

VERY GOOD. Fort Bragg is home to the Airborne and Special Forces.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 20 at 2016 8:09 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 20:09:32 -0500

I contacted My Branch Manager. There was a shortage in all support MOS's. I had an ATRRS Reservation in four days. Now I'm on my way to Alaska upon completion of Jump School.

Response by SSG Jay OConnor made Feb 25 at 2016 3:13 PM

SSG Jay OConnor — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 15:13:45 -0500

Depends on if you go to a jumping unit or not but your chances are still much better just because you are right there

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 15 at 2016 11:32 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 15 Mar 2016 11:32:44 -0400

I can say when i went to Bragg in 99 and in 2003 it was offered at reception. 9 times out of 10 if you make it to Ft. Bragg ( The best duty station on earth ) you'll get a slot.

Response by MSG Dan Castaneda made May 30 at 2016 1:55 AM

MSG Dan Castaneda — Mon, 30 May 2016 01:55:13 -0400

If airborne school doesn't work out. Ft. Bragg has an Air Assault school

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 9 at 2016 12:42 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 09 Jun 2016 12:42:47 -0400

Depends on the unit. I'd personally be more specific than just going to an Airborne installation or unit. Just because it's Bragg or 82nd, doesn't GUARANTEE you an Airborne slot. Granted, having completed an assignment to Bragg in 08' to 12', your chances of going to Airborne School is HIGH lol. Units there are always looking for Airborne qualified personnel, or people willing to volunteer for Airborne School. Especially if you're also qualified Jumpmaster, which is not the case with you. Nevertheless, it's very competitive. It can take you months for a slot, so don't hold your breath. Just ensure you have a packet ready and you meet the physical demands and prerequisites, once you arrive to your gaining unit.

Response by SGT Drew Clark made Jan 27 at 2017 1:30 AM

SGT Drew Clark — Fri, 27 Jan 2017 01:30:44 -0500

Pretty Good, if you end up in a Unit that has jump slots, and it helps if you are High-Speed!

Response by SGT Tony Greene made Jan 13 at 2018 10:25 AM

SGT Tony Greene — Sat, 13 Jan 2018 10:25:46 -0500

Chances are high if theirs a need for your MOS in the division.