Training for Air Assault and Airborne school. Any advice?

SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 19 Sep 2018 06:16:23 -0400

I'm planning on air assault school in February and airborne in April or whenever I can get in. Airborne seems pretty straight forward, and so does air Assault school. Is it all just attention to detail? Obviously you need to be in decent shape for both. I'm at ft Bragg. Is there any way I can get on the obstacle course here or one somewhere on base?

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 19 at 2018 6:20 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 19 Sep 2018 06:20:08 -0400

If I remember correctly, the obstacle course on Ft Bragg is run by range control and you have to sign it out and have a medic available. You don't need an obstacle course to train though. The thing that gets people on obstacle courses is they can't climb a rope. There are ropes all over Bragg.

Response by 1SG Timothy Trewin made Sep 19 at 2018 6:38 AM

1SG Timothy Trewin — Wed, 19 Sep 2018 06:38:29 -0400

Honestly to be successful for Air Assault School you need to be able to climb a rope and be able yo ruck 12 miles in three hours. It’s not a very physically demanding course by any means. From a mental perspective if you just pay attention to what the instructors say you will be fine.

Response by MSG Dan Castaneda made Sep 19 at 2018 10:17 AM

MSG Dan Castaneda — Wed, 19 Sep 2018 10:17:29 -0400

There's an obstacle course nest to USASOC called the Danny O obstacle course. You can run down there go through the course and run back to where ever you started. I do it all the time.

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Sep 19 at 2018 11:36 AM

SGM Bill Frazer — Wed, 19 Sep 2018 11:36:45 -0400

For years their was an obstacle course in area J down towards the Corps En Bde.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 19 at 2018 4:43 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 19 Sep 2018 16:43:24 -0400

The O course shouldn’t your concern. The course isn’t physically demanding. Your concern should be attention to detail, taking notes, and practicing sling loads at every opportunity they give you in school.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 21 at 2018 3:43 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 21 Sep 2018 15:43:49 -0400

As an airborne instructor, I recommend you work with a jumpmaster on Ft. Bragg who will teach you to PLF. Most of our failures come from service members who seem to be kinesthetically (mind/muscle connection) challenged, APFT failures and run fall-outs. It’s a physically demanding 3 weeks. Check out the course requirements online.

Response by SFC Jon Vandeyacht made Sep 27 at 2018 10:11 AM

SFC Jon Vandeyacht — Thu, 27 Sep 2018 10:11:59 -0400

There is an obstical course out by the division parade field that the mobile air assault school uses. If you go to it after hours, no one will say anything if you are on it, or they will ask you to leave. I used it alot during lunch hours when in USASOC. There used to be a sign there with who to contact for permission to use it. Overall, the only thing you really NEED to be able to do is climb a rope. The 'tough-one' bolos the most people. the rest of it is just you and your gut. The 35# ruck 12 mile road march is the last part of air assault school. You should really study the sling load components and their max & working load weights. it will give you an advantage, just like memorizing prejump BEFORE jump master course. As far as airborne goes, as long as you can do minimum standards for the 18 year old group for PT test, then you are good. the rest of it is all on you. Your pretty ambitious if you think division will send you to air assault course. That is usually a re-enlistment tool or a job needed thing or an atta-boy for something major. Good Luck.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 6 at 2018 10:17 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 06 Nov 2018 22:17:25 -0500

By far the most drops from Air Assault is from the sling load test. My advice with that is that when your taking your test..stay in the moment of real time...meaning...as your tracing your rig you only say what you actuality see and are touching right then right there...don't get ahead of your self cause you practice practice practice sling loads that are rigged correctly and when you test rigs with deficiencies..one tends to scream through it reciting muscle memory and go right a deficiency..so slow is smooth...smooth is fast...

Response by SP5 Ronald Johnson made Nov 10 at 2022 9:40 AM

SP5 Ronald Johnson — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 09:40:51 -0500

I'm a veteran of both, my advice to you is give it 110% sponge up all the instructions, stay healthy and enjoy the experience!!