Day: April 28, 2009

Day: April 28, 2009 JUMP DAY #2
Weather report: mid-80’s today, humidity 44% wind 10-15 SE

The second day of jumps started this morning at 0230hrs with my alarm clock blaring. I got up shaved and drank a Gatorade and headed to formation. Formation was a 0350hrs for manifest and roll call. We then headed out to the PIT to do our pre-jump briefs and malfunction refresher, PLF’s and move out. Back down the hill to the harness shed and jumped out of the mock doors for a refresher and breakfast. MRE’s again of course, I ended up with chili mac and down it pretty quickly. We only had a few minutes to eat and go back into the harness shed. We headed out to get our reserves and parachutes to return and set them up for buddy rigging. A quick ten minute break and back into the harness shed for JMPI and sitting on our fourth point of contact.

The difference with our first jump of the day was were jumped full combat equipment and had to put an extra 45lbs on our bodies. It was a lot of weight on our shoulder and pretty difficult to walk. We made it though! Out the door and waddled to the aircraft, through the jet blast, propeller wash, and up the ramp at 1045hrs. Slowly this time! They stacked us in the C-130 like sardines. It was nuts. I was happy to see the first thirty jumpers leave the aircraft so we could spread out and move around a little. The next pass and we were out the door. At the three-thousand count; my chute was above me and I was headed for the leading edge of the drop zone, this was prefect. I began to observe my area and get ready to lower my combat equipment. At about two hundred feet I release my ruck sack down the 15’ lowering line. I untied my M-1950 weapons case and hit the quick release on it, it slid down to my chute and I was preparing to land. At 100’ I pulled a rear slip and contact, I performed a front right PLF, released my canopy, slid out of my harness and started through my tactical process of recovering my gear. First pull your equipment to you, next take the adjusting straps off the harness and the quick release off the harness. Attach them to your belt loops and pull your canopy to you and stuff them into the aviator’s kit bag. The next step is to put on your ruck sack, place the reserve over your head with the aviator’s kit bag facing to the rear and your parachute on the front side. Place the weapons carrying case on top of the kit bag, conduct a 360 degree view of your area to ensure that you have not left anything and head to the assembly area. Everyone in my chalk made it just fine. There were a few jumpers that had some problems. One female broke her forearm, another soldier broke a leg, and several had rolled or twisted ankles. I found out this morning that a soldier broke his leg and ankle on a jump yesterday and had to have surgery on it this morning. I don’t have any additional information on that at this time.

Lunch time! Guess what MRE’s and we did not have time to eat them. Get your gear and get on the buses we have to get this jump in before the winds pick-up. Someone picked up my reserve will I was in the latrine and I had to wait for everyone to pick up one. The guy from the other chalk had two. Of course one of them was mine. My jump team had already got on a bus and headed back. I caught a ride back with the first chalk and had to hurry to catch up with my chalk. They were on a break when I arrived. I had to put my combat equipment back together, get a new chute, and have my reserve chute inspected. Finally, I got to take a break with the first chalk and then got back in rhythm with my chalk. We put on our new chutes and here comes the Jumpmasters. The JMPI and sit down, watch the move again, and load the planes again at 1445hrs. This time we had an objective when we landing. We had a role play today similar to the invasion of Normandy; this was one of the greatest airborne operations in history. Chalks one thru four had to secure the south most end of the drop zone and set-up blocking points on three intersections. We preformed with precision. The senior NCOs’ took charge and made it happen. It was an amazing operation! We cleared the objectives and headed back to the assembly area. Dinner, MRE’s I had the roast beef this time and was starving. It was great! We had time to sit down and drink water, a lot of water and I needed it. It was hot and muggy and we had walked over two miles in a tactical formation. Secured our area and walked another two miles to the assembly area. This was real world training and I loved every minute of it. We waited on the buses to come get us and take us back to the harness shed. My platoon was scheduled to shack out chutes today but got changed to tomorrow. We were surprised and happy. They released us at 1845hrs. Formation tomorrow will be at 1400hrs in our normal training uniform.

Tomorrow will be a night full combat jump and our final jump here. All we need to do it exit the aircraft and we graduate on Friday and will be AIRBORNE qualified. No more running all over Ft. Benning, GA. We can walk with pride because we will not be dirty nasty legs (no airborne qualified personal). What a wonderful day Friday is going to be. Silver Wings on my chest and on the way home to see my wonderful family and hug my children.

The C-130 is the most amazing place I have ever been with Airborne personal. It is a flying Chapel. There is more praying and asking GOD for help, forgiveness, and peace. I do it too! I thank GOD everyday for all the things I am so blessed to have and for walking with me and stepping off the C-130 and being there on the drop zone when I land. He is my rock and my strength, this is all for his glory and honor! May I be able to be a witness and a leader for HIM.

PULL-UPS for the day: 20