FORT BENNING, Ga., (Feb. 11, 2015) -- The Soldiers of the U.S. Army Basic Airborne Course faced their fears from 34 feet in ground week and were hoisted to 250 feet in tower week, but nothing compares to being flown at 1,200 feet in a U.S. Air Force C-130. The Soldiers of C Company, 1st Battalion (Airborne), 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment, have reached jump week.
Following two weeks of training, BAC student Staff Sgt. Jeffrey de los Santos said he was ready simply because of the practice.
"I think (jump week) is the most intense, but not the hardest," he said.
Muscle memory, repetition and being faced with a realistic scenario have all prepared students for the first five jumps of their Airborne careers, said 1st Sgt. Robert Sepulveda, C Co., 1st Bn. (Airborne), 507th PIR. The jumps go on their jump logs, which record the jumps they complete throughout their Airborne career.
The first, second and fourth jumps the students complete in jump week are "Hollywood," where only a main parachute and reserve are worn, Sepulveda said. The third jump is a combat equipment jump where they have a modular lightweight load-carrying equipment (MOLLE) II medium rucksack and a modular airborne weapons case. Soldiers must lower the equipment before landing on the drop zone. The fifth jump is typically a night jump.
The students start as early as 3 a.m. during jump week, and prepare by practicing sustained training, parachute landing falls and mock-door training, Sepulveda said. In the harness shed, they endure a vigorous check of their jump equipment, or jumpmaster personnel inspections.
"It's a lot of work for a two-minute ride," said Sgt. 1st Class William Bailey, C Co., 1st Bn. (Airborne), 507th PIR, harness shed noncommissioned officer in charge.
Unlike much of their training, the cadre introduce noise and light discipline so every detail of the students' jump can be observed from the plane and from the ground, Sepulveda said.
"When they get to their Airborne assignment, most of their jumps will be night jumps," Sepulveda said. "So, you want to maintain that noise and light discipline all the way to the ground."
The aircraft makes several passes over the drop zone. For each pass, 10 students will jump, alternating out of each side of the aircraft for a total of 20 students exiting per pass, Bailey said.
BAC student Capt. Lisa Beum weighs "127 pounds of pure muscle," she said. Although, her Airborne equipment weighs almost half as much as she does, she said she has confidence in her ability to complete the jump successfully.
"The airborne instructors have done a really good job training us so that we're prepared for anything that could possibly happen - a really good jump or any malfunctions," she said.
The students are given three timed warnings: at 10 minutes, at one minute when the aircraft is over the Chattahoochee River and at 30 seconds before the jumpers make their descent, said Sgt. 1st Class David Patterson, senior master trainer. At go time, the cadre receives a green light above the door and directs the students out of the aircraft.
Once out, the students must recall all the points of performance: proper exit, check body position and count; check canopy, gain canopy control; keep a sharp lookout during entire descent; prepare to land; and land, said Capt. Nefjoveny Rosa, C Co. commander.
As students check their canopy, they must keep the three rules of the air in mind - always look before pulling the slip, a device that directs the path of descent, always slip in the opposite direction of drift to avoid collision and always give the lower jumper the right-of-way, Rosa said.
To aid the students in landing, cadre deploy smoke at random points along the drop zone, there are flags flying and there is a coach on the ground with a megaphone providing directions, Rosa said. The smoke and flags help the students to determine wind direction and know which way to pull their slip.
"This is the Basic Airborne Course, and as a result we try and help the students out so that they have a little bit of an advantage going into their jumps," Rosa said.
On the ground, their mission is not complete; the students must repack their rucks, gather their parachute and do a 360-degree check of their area to ensure no equipment is left behind, Rosa said.
Many of the Soldiers turn around after a jump and move right into their next jump, starting the entire process over again, Sepulveda said.
After safely landing on the soft, soggy ground at Fryar Drop Zone after his combat equipment jump, Pvt. Mitchell Brown recovered and began gathering his gear.
"I was the first one to jump, so it was pretty scary, actually," Brown said. "(The combat equipment jump) is heavier, so I fell faster. It was fun, I knew exactly what to do."
Students who graduate the course get the basic parachutist badge and their Airborne graduation certificate. Approximately 370 BAC students graduated Feb. 6 at the Airborne Walk on Eubanks Field.
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