Hurry Up And Wait: Day: April 24, 2009

Friday, April 24, 2009

Day: April 24, 2009

Day: April 24, 2009
Weather report: low-90’s today, humidity 44% wind is about 5 SW

We started the day with a 4.2 mile run after our normal 0530hrs formation and finished with our normal 100 four count flutter kicks, push-ups and side straddle hops. It was nice and cool when we started PT. The air reminded me of the marsh on the way to Edisto Island and the honeysuckle was in full bloom this morning on the run. It was a great day for PT and our LAST ONE! We finished the training portion of the Airborne School today and next week will begin practical exercise, exiting an aircraft while in flight. For breakfast I had the normal raisin bran, gogurt, and milk. Not to heavy but just enough to hold me over until lunch, I knew it was going to be a hot one today.

0830hrs and we were back in formation waiting to start our last training day. What a relief to be finished with all the trainers and finally start putting together our equipment today. That’s what we thought anyway. It turns out we had two more classes and we had to clean and turn in the tower range before we could go pack our rucksacks. Our first class was a refresher from what we have learned from day one with demonstrations by the Blackhat’s. It was an awesome demonstration! We then began our clean up and prepared to move out to the harness shed. The harness shed is the location we will get into our parachutes and combat gear. It was time to pack and secure our rucksacks for a combat jump on Monday. NOT YET! We had another class. This class was a demonstration on the Jumpmaster inspection prior to boarding the aircraft. It was very interesting to see them conduct their ritual. I would try to explain how this is conduct but would not be able to do it justice. It is a well oiled process that checks every buckle, fastener, harness strap, static line, helmet, chin strap, and anything else you can think of on the jumper. The fail rate for the jumpmaster course is over 50% per class. It is a brutal course and should be. We trust their expertise with our lives. They are a vital and essential part to any successful Airborne Operation. Now, time to harness the rucksacks.

My chalk (our jump order) finished the exercise first with out any failures on the pack. This was good and bad. It was good because all of us were proficient in the procedures of setting up the equipment for the jump. The bad part was waiting the other 12 chalks to finish so we could return to the company area and be released. After and hour they were all finished. My butt was sore from sitting on the wooden benches in the harness shed. Hopefully next week (jump week) will run a little more efficiently. Lunch was MRE’s again and I had chicken breast this time. Not to bad!

We have a recall formation on Sunday at 1800hrs for manifest. The manifest roster is the roster we are assigned on the aircraft. I am in: Chalk 3, Second Stick, 7th Jumper. So what does that mean? That means as the aircraft passes over the drop zone on the third pass I will be the seventh paratrooper out the door, AIRBORNE!

Tonight I will be going to dinner with Alan the Marine 1SG again, and tomorrow I will be having dinner with 1LT Nick Corley and his wife. On Sunday my original group is going to grill out at the company area and just hang-out. We have become a pretty close knit group due to the nature of the training. It is like no military training I have ever been to. We must trust our stick to do all the right things every time in order keep all the service members safe. I cannot wait to get home and will keep in touch with a few of the fellows I have met during my training here. AIRBORNE!

PULL-UPS for the day: 30

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Airborne Creed

THE AIRBORNE CREED

I am an Airborne trooper! A PARATROOPER!
I jump by parachute from any plane in flight. I volunteered to do it, knowing well the hazards of my choice.
I serve in a mighty Airborne Force--famed for deeds in war--renowned for readiness in peace. It is my pledge to uphold its honor and prestige in all I am--in all I do.
I am an elite trooper--a sky trooper--a shock trooper--a spearhead trooper. I blaze the way to far-flung goals--behind, before, above the foe's front line.
I know that I may have to fight without support for days on end. Therefore, I keep mind and body always fit to do my part in any Airborne task. I am self-reliant and unafraid. I shoot true, and march fast and far. I fight hard and excel in every art and artifice of war.
I never fail a fellow trooper. I cherish as a sacred trust the lives of men with whom I serve. Leaders have my fullest loyalty, and those I lead never find me lacking. I have pride in the Airborne! I never let it down!

Airborne 1/507th PIR Crest History

Distinctive Unit Insignia. Description: A silver color metal and enamel 1 1/8 inches (2.86cm) in height consisting of a shield blazoned: Per bend Azure and Argent, on the First an open parachute of the Last, on the Second a lightning flash of the First; attached below the shield a blue scroll inscribed "DOWN TO EARTH" in silver letters.
Symbolism: Blue is the color associated with Infantry. The open parachute symbolizes the parachute functions of the regiment and the lightning flash indicates the speed by which the allotted duties are preformed. The motto further describes the parachute functions of the organization.
Background: The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment on 21 Jan 1943. It was redesignated and amended to update the description and symbolism for the 507th Infantry Regiment on 22 Oct 1985.
Coat of Arms.
Blazon:
Shield: Per bend Azure and Argent, on the First an open parachute of the Last, on the Second a lightning flash of the First.
Crest: On a wreath Argent and Azure, two lightning bolts in saltire, the volt in bend Azure, the other Or, between two springs of oak fructed Proper, the acorns connected in base by a gold key fesswise with bow at dexter, and issuing palewise between the lighting bolts a black widow spider (Latrodectus mactans) head to chief Proper, with hourglass marking tenné.
Motto: DOWN TO EARTH.
Symbolism:
Shield: Blue is the color of the Infantry. The open parachute symbolizes the parachute functions of the regiment and the lightning flash indicates the speed by which the allotted duties are performed.
Crest: The black widow spider was the unofficial symbol of the unit in World War II, black and orange being the colors associated with the unit. The lightning bolts represent two airborne assaults; the blue bolt recalls the Presidential Unit Citation for action on the Contentin Peninsula; the gold refers to the shoulder sleeve insignia of the 17th Airborne Division, of which the unit was a part. The bolts also represent action from the sky and the speed with which allocated duties are performed. The oak sprigs symbolize service in the Ardennes during the Battle of the Bulge. The key refers to the Rhineland as the key to Germany's heartland.
Background: The coat of arms was originally approved for the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment on 21 Jan 1943. It was redesignated for the 507th Infantry Regiment and amended to add a crest and update the shield symbolism on 4 Feb 1986.

Tower Week, Week Two

Tower Week
A team effort is added to the training with the "mass exit" concept. The apparati used this week are the 34-foot (10 m) towers, the swing landing trainer (SLT), the mock door for mass exit training, the suspended harness, and potentially the 250-foot (76 m) free tower. Tower Week completes student individual skill training and builds team effort skills. To go forward to Jump Training Week students must qualify on the SLT, master the mass exit procedures from the 34-foot (10 m) tower, and pass all PT requirements.

Jump Week, Week Three

Jump Week
During Jump Week students make five parachute jumps into Fryar Drop Zone (DZ) located in Alabama, which is part of the Fort Benning Military Reservation. Trainees must run to the air field, conduct pre-jump training, and then get into their harnesses and await their turn to jump. Generally, two of the jumps are "combat equipment jumps", in which the jumper carries a ruck sack and a dummy weapon. The other three jumps are "hollywood", in that the jumper only wears the parachute and reserve. At least one jump is at night, although, during training cycles where Jump Week falls on a three or four day week (due to a Federal holiday), a night jump is not mandatory to graduate.

T-10D Parachute Discription and Components

TM 10-1670-293-23&P 0002 00 T-10C/T-10D TROOP BACK PARACHUTE ASSEMBLY EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION AND DATA EQUIPMENT CHARACTERISTICS, CAPABILITIES AND FEATURES A summary of the characteristics, capabilities and features of the equipment is contained in the following subparagraphs: Characteristics. Provides a capability to deliver an airborne soldier, and individual equipment, from an aircraft in flight, for a vertical assault on the enemy. Capabilities and Features: Limited in operation to winds of 13-knots at surface. Capable of supporting 360-pounds. Highly portable. Complete assembly weight: 31-pounds. Components of the system: Canopy assembly. Deployment bag. Pack tray. Harness assembly. Risers. Universal Static Line. LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION OF MAJOR COMPONENTS The following subparagraphs contain locations and descriptions of major components. Canopy. The T-10C/T-10D parachute canopy has a 3¾-inch mesh anti-inversion net attached to the skirt of the canopy. The net extends 18-inches below the canopy skirt. The canopy has two vent line centering loops. 0002 00-1 Change 1