Every once in awhile, the civilian staff at the Natick Soldier Systems Center get to attend military courses. For example, I know a guy who went to jumpmaster school while he was in jump status as a civilian there after having served on active duty in the Army. Others have attended mountaineering courses with the nearby Vermont Army National Guard.
Recently, Jennifer Hunt, a textile technologist/materials engineer on the Aerial Delivery Engineering Support Team, or ADEST, at the Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center graduated from the Basic Airborne Course.
“I wanted to go and have the experience of using and jumping the parachute equipment I work with and inspect every day,” said Hunt. “The opportunity has given me a different and fuller perspective of the work I do for ADEST and has made me better qualified to do my job”
I’m very impressed with Ms Hunt’s effort here. Most people who attend are in their late teens and early 20s. She is 41 years old! That means she had to get an age waiver to attend. Not shabby, especially for a civilian employee.
Having never served in the military, she spent a year training to the APFT’s 17-21 age group standard and worked on pull-ups. Ms Hunt is under five feet tall so she had to jump to grasp the bar. That’s one dedicated lady.
Congratulations to Ms Jennifer Hunt.
Airborne!
To learn more, visit www.army.mil/article/170170/natick_civilian_takes_giant_leap_to_learn_more_about_soldier_equipment
