keithbar 1 #1 April 3, 2009 I was talking with some whuffo friends the other day. and I told them that. I had started jumping while I was in the army at ft. campbell back in the early 80's. but as a member of the sport parachute club. I never went to jump school and earned my military jump wings. and they asked if you had to be military jump school grad to be a member of the golden knights. so do you have to be airborne to be on the knights? anyone know for sure?i have on occasion been accused of pulling low . My response. Naw I wasn't low I'm just such a big guy I look closer than I really am . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
patmoore 14 #2 April 3, 2009 You earned your military jump wings without going to jump school? Didn't know that could be done. I knew many of the Golden Knights back in the sixties and early seventies. I'm not aware that you could ever make the team without going to jump school. I recall a cartoon in Parachutist Magazine back then. A Knight had just met a babe in a bar and was saying, "Honey, every night with me is a golden night"! I went through Fort Benning during a miserably hot August in 1968. It was only a week after I had taken 3rd place at the military national sky diving championships at West Point. Many of the guys I had beaten were instructors at Benning. I had 431 jumps under my belt and to make matters worse I was an Air Force Sergeant! Tough to remain inconspicuous. I managed to hide my identity through ground week, tower week, and jump week and was rewarded with the Iron Mike for being top graduate. It's one of awards I treasure most.DZGone.com B-4600, C-3615, D-1814, Gold Wings #326, Diamond Wings #152. If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much room! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BIGUN 1,055 #3 April 3, 2009 Quoterewarded with the Iron Mike for being top graduate. It's one of awards I treasure most. I too, have an Iron Mike for the same reason. Be it known that "Honor Graduate..." 29th day of May nineteen hundred and eighty. 45th Company (I think they go by Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta now). Yes, one can get their jump wings without going to Benning's jump school.Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BIGUN 1,055 #4 April 3, 2009 The last Golden Knight application I saw (quite some time ago) said something like... If non-airborne, you must volunteer to attend Airborne School and fulfill that requirement should you make the Team.Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zoobrothertom 5 #5 April 4, 2009 During my time at Ft. Bragg (83-85), there was a day student school to earn your wings. It was for guys that were legs but assigned to corp or the 82nd. Train during the day and go home. I think it was 3 weeks long. Knights that made the team earned their wings this way. The 82nd team also had a set of freefall wings with the 82nd "AA" symbol in the middle. There was some dispute as to whether or not we could wear them on our class A's.____________________________________ I'm back in the USA!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slotperfect 7 #6 April 4, 2009 You have to volunteer to go to Jump School if you make the Team and end up assigned there. One of my teammates did that (she is still there).Arrive Safely John Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
keithbar 1 #7 April 4, 2009 I guess I could have worded it better. but. I NEVER went to jump school and got my wings. but I did start jumping while i was in the military. as part of the SPORT club at campbell. the real kicker is i was on the ft. campbell " screaming eagles" parachute demo team. with no lic at all. I was a member of uspa. but you only had to be c. lic QUALIFIED to be on the demo team. i've been c qualified since 1982. i really regret not sending in for my c back then but at the time it was like. send in the paperwork, or buy beer. well beer won out. i have on occasion been accused of pulling low . My response. Naw I wasn't low I'm just such a big guy I look closer than I really am . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zoobrothertom 5 #8 April 4, 2009 Do you recall what the process was to get your airborne wings awarded?____________________________________ I'm back in the USA!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DrEco 0 #9 April 5, 2009 Golden Cargo Why should going to Army Airborne jump school and making some static line jumps qualify anyone for a Skydiving rating or License or to be a member of the Golden Knights?? An Army Airborne jumper can get his jump wings and yet have 1) never spotted for himself 2) never obtained terminal vertical freefall velocity, 3) never have had any control of his body while in freefall, 4) never pulled his own ripcord to open his own parachute, 5) never used a controllable chute for accuracy landings, etc, etc, etc,. I would not call a static line jump ‘skydiving’. An airborne static line jump is more like being cargo getting dumped out of an airplane. I have never made a static line jump and I hope I never have to. On my first jump I spotted for myself, counted to three, and then pull my own ripcord. For my first jump I used a 28-foot controllable canopy with a one panel cut out in the back of the chute for some forward speed and turn lines on both side of the blank panel for turn control. DrEco D-115 [email protected]Quote Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites DrEco 0 #10 April 5, 2009 Golden Cargo Why should going to Army Airborne jump school and making some static line jumps qualify anyone for a Skydiving rating or License or to be a member of the Golden Knights?? An Army Airborne jumper can get his jump wings and yet have 1) never spotted for himself 2) never obtained terminal vertical freefall velocity, 3) never have had any control of his body while in freefall, 4) never pulled his own ripcord to open his own parachute, 5) never used a controllable chute for accuracy landings, etc, etc, etc,. I would not call a static line jump ‘skydiving’. An airborne static line jump is more like being cargo getting dumped out of an airplane. I have never made a static line jump and I hope I never have to. On my first jump I spotted for myself, counted to three, and then pull my own ripcord. For my first jump I used a 28-foot controllable canopy with a one panel cut out in the back of the chute for some forward speed and turn lines on both side of the blank panel for turn control. DrEco D-115 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites councilman24 36 #11 April 5, 2009 I'm not army, not airborne, never served. But my guess is that since the Golden Knights are a marketing tool they serve that purpose best if they are Airborne.I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Usetawuz 1 #12 April 5, 2009 The answer is simply because selection for and assignment to the Golden Knights is an airborne status assignment. Airborne qualification is a pre-req. _________________________________________ The older I get, the better I was! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites tbrown 26 #13 April 5, 2009 Sometime back in the eighties, Skydiving Magazine interviewed Cheryl Stearns, who up until that time had been a civilian competitor who had already made quite a name and reputation for herself. At the time of the interview Ms. Stearns had just enlisted in the Army, where I believe she had been able to negotiate a fast track placement onto the Golden Knights as part of her enlistment contract. She stated in the interview that getting onto the Knights required her completing basic airborne training at Ft. Benning and that she would be doing so and was looking forward to the experience. The Knights wanted her, she wanted the Knights, and Airborne was part of the deal, or that's how I remember reading that piece. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites steve1 5 #14 April 6, 2009 The Navy has something similiar. If you are on their parachute team you have to go through SEAL training. A friend of mine was on their team prior to having to start that training......The Golden Knights are lucky they don't have to go through something as awful as that.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites MikeGerwig 0 #15 April 12, 2009 It's called "jumping" you go from point A to point B as quick as possible. It's not meant to be fun.there are a lot of things that can go wrong and if you are able to continue on with out any hardship from it , it was successful.It's not skydiving which is for fun. It was jump school that gave me the attitude of "If you could walk back after your landing it was GOOD". I and the people I learned the sport with thought the same way. we really didn't care to much what it looked like. it was all good Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites SkymonkeyONE 3 #16 July 14, 2009 The USAPT is a "jump slot" job and therefore you must be SL jump school qualified to earn jump pay and fill the billet. Oddly, it takes some of these "experienced" skydivers several times to pass the SL course at Fort Benning. My ex-wife Kris Ward took THREE times to pass. These days, the slots are actually codes "military freefall" and many (if not all) of the people on the team are now drawing SF HALO pay! Amazing. Chuck Just an old retired SF MFFJM (among other things) who made 100 jumps in tryouts in 1990. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites zoobrothertom 5 #17 July 14, 2009 Oh Yea, Chuckles. You set yourself up for this one!! SF MFFJM - Special Forces Muther Fuckin Freefallin Jump Monkey BTW - I'm 82nd Airborne Club 83' - 85' ____________________________________ I'm back in the USA!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites zoobrothertom 5 #18 July 14, 2009 Extra Bonus on Stupid things for you. In '84, Davce Varella (SSG 82nd Team), took me under his wing one weekend. It happened to be about 2 weeks after I was allowed to jump 82nd Team rigs (RTS with Titans). We went over to the SF DZ (Normandy?) and manifested for a load. Exited and smoked it low over the packing area. Opened about 1200'. Dave had said, "Follow me into the landing area." Like a dumb shit, I did. He landed in the middle of the packing mats and I followed him in. A Gruff looking SGM type accosted us and demanded a case of beer for each of us!! Fucking Dave had no money and I (PFC) paid the $20!! ____________________________________ I'm back in the USA!! 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DrEco 0 #10 April 5, 2009 Golden Cargo Why should going to Army Airborne jump school and making some static line jumps qualify anyone for a Skydiving rating or License or to be a member of the Golden Knights?? An Army Airborne jumper can get his jump wings and yet have 1) never spotted for himself 2) never obtained terminal vertical freefall velocity, 3) never have had any control of his body while in freefall, 4) never pulled his own ripcord to open his own parachute, 5) never used a controllable chute for accuracy landings, etc, etc, etc,. I would not call a static line jump ‘skydiving’. An airborne static line jump is more like being cargo getting dumped out of an airplane. I have never made a static line jump and I hope I never have to. On my first jump I spotted for myself, counted to three, and then pull my own ripcord. For my first jump I used a 28-foot controllable canopy with a one panel cut out in the back of the chute for some forward speed and turn lines on both side of the blank panel for turn control. DrEco D-115 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
councilman24 36 #11 April 5, 2009 I'm not army, not airborne, never served. But my guess is that since the Golden Knights are a marketing tool they serve that purpose best if they are Airborne.I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Usetawuz 1 #12 April 5, 2009 The answer is simply because selection for and assignment to the Golden Knights is an airborne status assignment. Airborne qualification is a pre-req. _________________________________________ The older I get, the better I was! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tbrown 26 #13 April 5, 2009 Sometime back in the eighties, Skydiving Magazine interviewed Cheryl Stearns, who up until that time had been a civilian competitor who had already made quite a name and reputation for herself. At the time of the interview Ms. Stearns had just enlisted in the Army, where I believe she had been able to negotiate a fast track placement onto the Golden Knights as part of her enlistment contract. She stated in the interview that getting onto the Knights required her completing basic airborne training at Ft. Benning and that she would be doing so and was looking forward to the experience. The Knights wanted her, she wanted the Knights, and Airborne was part of the deal, or that's how I remember reading that piece. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve1 5 #14 April 6, 2009 The Navy has something similiar. If you are on their parachute team you have to go through SEAL training. A friend of mine was on their team prior to having to start that training......The Golden Knights are lucky they don't have to go through something as awful as that.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MikeGerwig 0 #15 April 12, 2009 It's called "jumping" you go from point A to point B as quick as possible. It's not meant to be fun.there are a lot of things that can go wrong and if you are able to continue on with out any hardship from it , it was successful.It's not skydiving which is for fun. It was jump school that gave me the attitude of "If you could walk back after your landing it was GOOD". I and the people I learned the sport with thought the same way. we really didn't care to much what it looked like. it was all good Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkymonkeyONE 3 #16 July 14, 2009 The USAPT is a "jump slot" job and therefore you must be SL jump school qualified to earn jump pay and fill the billet. Oddly, it takes some of these "experienced" skydivers several times to pass the SL course at Fort Benning. My ex-wife Kris Ward took THREE times to pass. These days, the slots are actually codes "military freefall" and many (if not all) of the people on the team are now drawing SF HALO pay! Amazing. Chuck Just an old retired SF MFFJM (among other things) who made 100 jumps in tryouts in 1990. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zoobrothertom 5 #17 July 14, 2009 Oh Yea, Chuckles. You set yourself up for this one!! SF MFFJM - Special Forces Muther Fuckin Freefallin Jump Monkey BTW - I'm 82nd Airborne Club 83' - 85' ____________________________________ I'm back in the USA!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zoobrothertom 5 #18 July 14, 2009 Extra Bonus on Stupid things for you. In '84, Davce Varella (SSG 82nd Team), took me under his wing one weekend. It happened to be about 2 weeks after I was allowed to jump 82nd Team rigs (RTS with Titans). We went over to the SF DZ (Normandy?) and manifested for a load. Exited and smoked it low over the packing area. Opened about 1200'. Dave had said, "Follow me into the landing area." Like a dumb shit, I did. He landed in the middle of the packing mats and I followed him in. A Gruff looking SGM type accosted us and demanded a case of beer for each of us!! Fucking Dave had no money and I (PFC) paid the $20!! ____________________________________ I'm back in the USA!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
