Army Airborne

[blackfox 0]

Hey guys, I'm considering joining the army as a parashute rigger (92R). I have my contract ready, just waiting for my signature, should be great fun.

I'm just wondering what you guys think about the Army Airborne? I hope this is going to give me good experience. I'm thinking that once I'm out I can earn a living as a skydive rigger.

Am I going to have to train for a civilian skydiving licence? I would think not, but I know they are probably a lot different. Does Army rigging experience transfer over to civilian rigging?

Any advice?

[airtwardo 6]

I'm considering joining the army as a parashute rigger

I'm just wondering what you guys think...


***
Run for congressional office...

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[blackfox 0]

no thanks

[matthewcline 0]

Well you fixed the spelling before I could post, damn.

Army Rigging and Civilian Rigging have similarities but are way different over all.

After the Army if you plan on working as a civilian rigger you'll need to do some additional training, you can do it while in the Army, of course.

I have been in the Airborne for 18 of my near 21 years. It is a tough job and thankless as a rigger. But you'll have fun with all the equipment and people you'll be safely dropping to the earth.

If you go to Bragg use the Post Club to your benefit, Benning then talk to the Silver Wings and their Rigger's, Campbell see me at the PDT Team room.

Good luck and be safe!

An Instructors first concern is student safety.
So, start being safe, first!!!

[airtwardo 6]

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no thanks

There are a BUNCH of people here that have taken the path you are considering....hopefully they'll chime in!

Good Luck

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[matthewcline 0]

Chime!

Although I didn't take the exact path did I?

An Instructors first concern is student safety.
So, start being safe, first!!!

[blackfox 0]

hmm, looks like I'm going to be doing most of my training in Ft. Jackson, except for a 3 week trip to Ft Benning

yeah I kinda heard that Bragg was the main Airborne base but I haven't heard anything about Jackson

[GrabGrass 0]

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I'm considering joining the army as a parashute rigger

I'm just wondering what you guys think...

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Run for congressional office...

***

Now THAT'S funny, I don't care who ya are!

~ "Pack Fast, Pull Low... and Date Your Riggers WIFE!" ~

[slotperfect 7]

Once you have completed your training and have arrived at your permanent duty station, you can get a letter from your Warrant Officer or Commander stating that you have completed the requisite pack jobs - back and chest - to take the "military comp test" for your FAA Senior Rigger Certificate. You will then get your application verified at the nearest Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) and go to a testing center to take a written test. If you pass, you're a Senior Rigger.

Without training on skydiving gear, you have at that point been given a "license to kill." Figuring it out by following the manufacturer's instructions in the manual just isn't going to get it done safely. You need to apprentice yourself (not formally - just using the term) to a local civilian Rigger who has experience with civilian gear - they will help you build the skill set you will need to be a safe civilian Rigger.

There are companies looking for Riggers often - I know of a large one at the moment that is looking for a jumper/Rigger to do R&D stuff for them. You won't live in a mansion and drive a Bentley, but it's a solid living and you can stay close to skydiving.

Arrive Safely

John

[prcastro 0]

Good luck with the Army and the whole rigger thing. You'll find, though, that jumping static line rounds like the T-10C in the Army is a bit more work than fun. You jump with a hell of a lot more equipment (about 60 pounds of parachute, including main and reserve, and another 60 to 80 pounds of additional gear you'll need to survive and fight with once you hit the ground) and your're only jumping at an altitude of 800 to about 1500 feet, all depending on what type aircraft you're jumping out of and the mission you're conducting. Most of your jumps will be at night (midnight to 2AM, or somewhere in there) and the chute you're jumping is designed as a method of insertion, in order to bring you to the ground quickly so you can fight, which means you're coming down pretty quick (about 21 feet per second, depending on the combined weight of your gear, your chutes, and your ass). Unlike skydiving, paratrooping will beat you down pretty good, but you should have fun with it as long as you listen to your jumpmasters and do what you gotta do to keep from getting hurt.

[cmchristian 0]

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you should have fun with it as long as you listen to your jumpmasters and do what you gotta do to keep from getting hurt.

Don't forget all the fun you get to have once you are on the ground. "Hey sarge, when do we get to go home and get showers?"

Chris
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"Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body; but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting 'Holy s#$* what a ride!'"

[blackfox 0]

anyone else have anything else to say about army rigging? Im gonna sign up today, unless i get advice not to

do you guys think that i will actually learn to rigg and jump in the army, or am i going to be doing remedial military shit???

[NickDG 23]

I believe the only "good" reason to join the service is if you desire to actually become a career soldier, sailor, airmen, or Marine.

A three or four year hitch, just to learn a job, isn't the hot way to go especially for rigger training that can be had so easily and faster elsewhere. If, on the other hand, you were looking to get into some esoteric field like nuclear or other high tech area the service can be a good start "if "you qualify for those fields.

But for parachute rigging – call Dave Dewolf, if you’re a quick study, or Sandy Reid, if you're not, and just take their civilian rigging course. You can do your jumping at any regular DZ. In a year you could have a nice little rigging loft going somewhere.

And nobody on their first military enlistment is going to escape, "remedial military shit???."

But, keep in mind, one misstep or one wrong word to the right person about the "remedial military shit???" and it's off to the infantry with you. So there's a very good chance, and given the current situation, even without pissing anyone off, you could wind up kicking in doors in Iraq and not packing parachutes . . .

NickD BASE 194

[blackfox 0]

true

well at this point i really could see myself being a career soldier,

i guess i was just wanting someone to tell me that I would be happy in the Army, but i seem to keep reading everywere the opposite response,

my first enlistment is only for 2 years, so its not really that bad and if i want to stay in after that it will be my choice, im just really uneasy about giving over the next 2 years of my life to the army, im scared that i will either hate it, or that i will love it and want to stay in but be stuck in a position of rigger without much hope of promotion, and not geting to do actuall rigging

im really bored of civilian life, and i think i would like the military, i just hope parachute rigging is at the very least gonna be a fun job, and earn me some respect amongst all the other MOS's

i would be really interested in the opinions of people who have been in the army as riggers

[steve1 5]

BlackFox,
It sounds like you are undecided on this one. Give it some more thought, and don't be rushed into this. There's nothing that says you have to decide right now.

I personally loved Jump School, and I think I would have stayed in S.F. if I had it to do over again. I was rough and tough back then and even liked jumping with a ton of equipment at night. But that's not for everyone.

There were also those days when I felt like I was in prison with this huge military obligation hanging over my head. A two year stint, may turn into something much longer than that with this war going on. Recruiters are going to paint a very rosy picture, which may not be the case if you get the wrong duty assignment. So, my advice would be don't rush into anything.

A friend of mine, that I now jump with, told me this story. He and some of his pals watched a John Wayne movie one night, then the next day they all went down and signed up for the marines. Six months later he was in a foxhole in Nam regretting every minute of his rushed decision. So, I'd say give it some more thought....Steve1

[blackfox 0]

ive been looking into this for over 2 months and have read almost everything there is to read on the net about the army

but i preaty much already decided that im joining

[LouDiamond 1]

If you want to be in the Army to serve then you will enjoy it. I am not going to lie to you, there will be plenty of days that will absolutely suck ass and your buddies will be right there beside you sucking with you as you take a bite out of the shit sandwhich. It makes for some good times, some bad times and plenty of experiences and memories unlike what you'd have in the civillian world, bar none.

2 years goes by super quick so don't worry about that. If you don't like it then you can get out or you can re-enlist if its your bag.

If you enlist as a rigger, you will do PLENTY of rigging. In fact, you will do more rigging than you will probablly care for at times. Each MOS has its promotion quirks, some come quick others literally require someone to die before someone gets promoted.If after 2 years being a rigger isn't for you, you have the option to reclassify as another MOS. By that time you should have an idea of what you want to do be it in the Army or getting out.The most important thing is that you enlist in an MOS that you are interested in and GET IT IN WRITING on your contract. If it doesn't say it on the contract, it will not happen in all likelyhood. There is no such thing as "ask your drill sgt" about that to get what you want.If you like being around parachutes and sewing then being a Rigger might be for you. It isn't going to get you an FAA riggers ticket but it will go along way to making it easier for you to get one when you decide to take the test. Also realize that you are enlisting in the Army and the Army exists to do 1 basic thing. So don't be surprised if you find you have to go overseas, it is not an impossibility.

"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required"
Some people dream about flying, I live my dream
SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING

[SWATcop 0]

If you want to talk to past and present active duty Army Airborne parachute riggers you can go to the forums section of this site. Make sure you do an intro under "Replacement Detachment- DEPs, Wannabes, Civilians", they won't hesitate to call you a "Fucktard" if you don't.

http://www.usparatroopers.org/

You should realize there is a lot more to Army rigging than packing T-10C's. If you get assigned to Ft Bragg (where I spent 3 of my 7 Infantry years) you may be rigging vehicles, huge pallet loads ect ect. Just FYI I recently read an article where they were using Army Parachute riggers as gunners on HUMVs on convoy escorts in IRAQ. If I find the link again I will pm you with it.

This is a long way from skydiving
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5d839b3127cce92147e5f76ba00000015108AauXDJm5cuE

but on the other hand you can learn to skydive very cheap and Raeford is a great place to jump.

Kevin

Muff Brother #4041
Team Dirty Sanchez #467

[blackfox 0]

can anyone suggest a good duty station, i know they dont let you pick, but just in case im able to negotiate

i want parachute rigging not cargo rigging im guessing benning whould be the place for that, but i think im probably gonna end up in brag

[kenneth21441 0]

Bragg is nice. Benning is nice.

Take the draw and just do it.

With time you will travel. as far as what areas youll work in my 7 plus years I worked many areas: Personal parachutes, Aerial Delivery, Cargo parachutes, HALO, Operations. some parachute maintance, and even shipping and receiving.


All these areas let me learn more and allowed to me be better able to do things and go places.
Even in Personal parachutes we packed cargo parachutes such as 15ft ext, 28 ft ext, G-14, etc....

Cargo we did G11's (A/b/ and C) and G12's.

In the end it was and is worth it. Try it and youll see....

Kenneth Potter
FAA Senior Parachute Rigger
Tactical Delivery Instructor (Jeddah, KSA)
FFL Gunsmith

[steve1 5]

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can anyone suggest a good duty station, i know they dont let you pick, but just in case im able to negotiate

I started in Ft. Polk. Did Basic and Infantry training there. I felt like I had died and gone to heaven when I went to jump school in Benning. Ft. Polk was that bad. World War II style barracks on pillars. Drill Sargents who hated your guts. Jees it was nice to leave that place.

Bragg was great! A whole lot better than Benning even. We had new Barracks on Smoke Bomb Hill. Fun places to go on base. For real excitement you could go into FayateNam. I wish I would have started skydiving there. They had a great club or two back then (1970). Maybe some of those old memories just seem better than they really were. One thing for sure, you'll have some you'll never forget....Steve1

[loumeinhart 0]

Did my 92R training at Ft Lee, VA. Rigger training is physical. You start with personel gear then move on to cargo/vehicles/big stuff. It's good stuff dude, get your wings, red hat, and Be Sure Always.

[kenneth21441 0]

The airborne museum at ft lee was cool to see all the things that our fellow riggers had done in the past. This used to be held in the AD shop and not sure if they moved it since i was there in 1987.


I enjoyed my time in and at times wished I had stayed in esp after oll Bill left office. Their was days were you just thought were did they come up with some of this stuff. But you know what, you did it and learned and when you got up there in rank you did not repeat that.... Sort of like life.

I used to jump all the time if they let me. Ever operation that i could get on I tried it. Night, CE, C-130, C-5, C-141 ...I did not care. When some of my peers just did a jump every three months to keep pay, Not I...

That Red hat deserves alot of respect and to receive you must also give it..... Some think I am a rigger and I am god. Please dont think like that as You hold lives and equipment in your hands. Even if you are rigging that Humvee or 8ft mass supply load, the guys on the ground may just need it......

Kenneth Potter
FAA Senior Parachute Rigger
Tactical Delivery Instructor (Jeddah, KSA)
FFL Gunsmith

[bloody_trauma 2]

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well at this point i really could see myself being a career soldier

you can't possibly see that right now, you won't know until you either get ot or reenlist. the military is for some people and not for others, alot of people do a 3-4 year stint and decide they would be better of in the civilian world, some stay and find a home. i did/am, just waht ever you do don't form your opinions on the military from your initial experiences, take it in as a whole and make your decision, take everything with a grain of salt and let all the negative slide off your back.

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my first enlistment is only for 2 years

thats not nearly enough time to do anything, you'll only be at your unit maybe a year and a half, you might make specialist but don't count on anything more than that on your first enlistment, but two year is good in that theres not a lot of getting caught up in a stop loss more than once

Fly it like you stole it

[GQ_jumper 4]

Bragg is nice. Benning is nice.

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AHHHHHHHH, you must be out of your mind, benning and bragg both suck!!!! unless you like being one of the hundreds of guys fighting over who gets to take the one girl home at the bar, who happens to be a BIG GIRL!!!! I'm not sayin, I'm just sayin, ya know

If you really want to be a rigger somewhere good, try getting attached to a Special Forces group, you'll work half as much as you would with the 82nd, and any time a team goes somewhere TDY to make a jump we have to bring riggers along with us. We brought two of our riggers to Eloy with us last spring for two weeks, they've come to Tunisia, Florida, New Mexico, you name it, if its a cool place where the teams go we want to make a jump we have to have rigger support. I will say that some teams aren't always nice to their riggers, they have a chip on their shoulder and treat them as "support pukes" but there are teams that appreciate the work that riggers do. Usually its the HALO teams, we always take care of our riggers when they travel with us. If you end up at Carson feel free to hit me up when you get in town, I can get you in touch with the civilian riggers around here if you want.

History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid.
--Dwight D. Eisenhower

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