Conversation a few years ago at the dinner table.
So one of my sons asks me, “Dad, what’s a leg?”
I answered, “Everyone on your mother’s side of the family son.”
True story…
He’s now 18 and started his path toward an A license while waiting in DEP to join the service.
Happy Airborne Day to all of you Paratroopers out there!
“Dad, what’s a leg?”
“Son, its someone who doesn’t spend 90% of their career at Ft. Bragg.”
I question the operational need to have as many Airborne qualified people as we do. I mean how many times do they do a operational combat jump versus how many jump related Med boards and deaths happen each year.
Busting people up for no benefit
That’s the risk of the duty and they do a fair job mitigating it. I’m sure jump status isn’t a front runner when it comes to boards and workplace deaths.
The operational readiness need is there and many SOF units have jumped “live” OCONUS.
And what percentage of the people wearing the badge are in Socom? Not that many.
More Soldiers are hurt playing basket ball than jumping.
Strike Hold!!!
Fury From The Sky!!!
Airborne All The Way!!!!!!!!
Said no Airborne qualified person ever…
“I question the operational need to have as many Airborne qualified people as we do. I mean how many times do they do a operational combat jump versus how many jump related Med boards and deaths happen each year.
Busting people up for no benefit”
truth if I ever heard it
I have ONLY heard airborne soldiers say this. Usually after too many hours in the harness before a wind call.
Obviously, said by a LEG. Proceed with flutter kicks, leg.
Beat your face bean counter!!!
I seem to remember the orthopedic ward at Womack had more motorcycle injuries than jump injuries many years ago when I spent most of misspent youth at Fortress Bragg
Airborne to some is a leadership school. To others it’s a rung on a ladder leading more advanced training/missions. To others it’s a way of life, and a home, a home away from home!!
Keep your feet and knees together, Happy Airborne Day!!!!
Leg
We kill and maim people every year doing PT. Does that mean we should stop physical fitness training and testing? Service members did in combat. Should we stop warring so that they’ll be safe? Loads of people die in car accidents and even more are injured. Should we walk everywhere?
If you’re on the service, you shouldn’t be.
24 on status INF/SOF. never spent 1 second in a Med vehicle on a DZ. Lucky I guess. Headspace and timing/ sky sharks are what cause many an injury.
To all you airborne certed, remember that the Forest Service were the ones that taught your OGs how to fall out of an airplane and work once you’re on the ground.
*something about the 27th EN falling out of planes, aiming for the trees*
Don’t remember reading where the 509th who made the lowest jump and first combat jump in WW2 were ever Smokejumpers! Capeesch?
We had someone lose their hand today in a static line. Fitting. AATW or something
If you’re a paratrooper and you posted that, turn in your termination paperwork today. Along with it, tell your boss your done soldiering and you need to be chaptered for being afraid of life. Immediately go home and cover yourself in bubble wrap and lie in your basement waiting to die.
Life is dangerous. Eventually it’s going to kill you. Either accept that fact and live life to its fullest, or be a coward. The choice is yours.
You must have never filled out a CRM worksheet. Reduce risk when the risk is necessary, and work to eliminate it where it’s unnecessary. For vast majority of people going to Airborne School , jumping out of an airplane is absolutely unnecessary and has no warfighting relevance for that person.
If your S1 is jumping out of an airplane just because the unit is Airborne and the culture dictates that he must have the badge, then that is an unnecessary risk cuz he’ll never jump out of an airplane in battle.
I beg to differ, he will jump a 117g and lots of batteries. Everyone plays a part. That’s the point of everyone being jump qualified. Even if a guy just jumps a molle full of ammo it changes the calculus of the fight. Bigger picture is you have a hardened community that is knows how operate in situations that doesn’t always include a safety net.
Well, if there has been one instance of an S1 jumping into battle with a 117 and a ruck full of batteries in the last 50 years, then I’ll be proven wrong
After homework,there is task force Viking, but how many S1s vs cool guys were in the bird and once every 20 years doesn’t seem to be a pressing need for flying paperpushers.
You can’t create specialty forces after a crisis occurs.
Are you a PFC or something?
I was around when we started doing risk analysis. And if you’re going to cite risk analysis as the be all, end all; quit. Like I said, go hide in your basement. Living is risky. Risk aversion in this business, is akin to cowardice, and won’t just kill you, it kills other people.
As for your ignorance regarding airborne operations and the employment of force in general, read Mehmaster’s comment.
Still waiting on this mythical “airborne burger” they keep promising me. they keeping getting me on the bait and switch with some suspect looking sandwich wraps.
What age should I tandem jump my son to begin acclimation?
He’s 7 months now, so I figure I’ve got a while, but still…
There’s only one drop zone in the US that I know of that will let someone below 18 jump, and even then, the age is 16.
The way it was explained to me (D Co, 509th PIR, May 1990) is that Airborne training is a simulates the dangers of combat and teaches soldiers to focus, pay attention to detail, trust their equipment, follow procedures and be aware of danger. Parachuting (and working with demo) is inherently dangerous, by its nature. But, you can most of the time reduce the risk and mitigate the effects thru training, good equipment and following direction. Ended up in the hospital twice due to jump injuries; have nagging back pain now but what I wouldn’t give for just ONE MORE JUMP!