dropzonechaps

He and I served together in the navy back in 96-97, lost touch with him.

Although just starting into the sport and not having much experience with training in the sport, I do have a huge amount of experience (unfortunately) with injuries. I have have 4 total reconstruction surgeries on the right knee, one shoulder dislocation with surgery, one broken collar bone, and a broken neck with 2 fused levels now. So, what I can tell you is this...on the first surgery, I got depressed and sat for 6 months doing nothing. On the second I drank for 6 months. On the third, I tried stand up comedy. LOVED IT! do it all the time now. Short of the story is this, do something outside your comfort zone much like I imagine jumping was your first time. It will make the time fly by and you will be back flying before you know it. Good luck with the rehab.

So I searched in the members list but the search returns the whole list of all users. Maybe I am doing something wrong or he did not use his name when registering. I'm looking for a beau Roberts. Last I heard he was living and jumping somewhere in Louisiana.

A "little further"????? Elsinore, CA to Taft, CA is 186 miles, approximately 3:20 travel time (ONE WAY). Even here in Texas, that isn't "a little further"! I was thinking more like 1hr and 50 min. :-) I once made it to LA in 1:20 from SD. To the other posters, thanks a mess, I have downloaded the SIM and surfed some more and the info yall are putting out is the reason I am on the forum. Always the right information (usually). I wonder what the topic is here that generates the most heated conversation. In drag racing its the supercharger. I once left a forum of the continued posts starting with "which supercharger is best?". Maybe its,."what canopy should I use?" Or somthing else. In any event the info yall gave rocks. Again thanks. I think I'm going to do my school at elsinor and take a few days off and knock out the 8 jumps and ground school. then go from there and dedicate a 2 week window go the remaing 25. Thanks again yall

Ha! No need to teach a chaplain how to jump in this navy, got to do it on my own. Hopefully though at my next command I can squeeze the navy for an open seat at jump school. We shall see if they go for it. However, ill be back for 4 weeks in December so I plan of completing my AFF at that time. Unfortunately Kk have to wait for 10 weeks. Otherwise I'd be starting next week if I was not leaving. And I plan on taking 3 days off to knock it out all at once.

As a newbee to the "I jump out of airplanes" world, I was hopping some of you could weigh in and offer some advice. I have made one tandem jump and am hooked, its a done deal. However, with all the acronyms and a language of the community I do not understand yet, I have a few questions and some information about myself that may help the answering of said questions. I am in the navy and have been for 16 years. As an officer who just returned from deployment, and going back out shortly (in and out for the next 6 months) money is really not an issue as long as bang for the buck makes sence. I started my naval career as a nuclear welder, so as you can imagine, I don't do anything without taking a "nuc" approach to it. Safety, knowledge, understanding are paramount for me. I am not a thrill seaker as the term implies, I simply found the calmest moment in my life the other day at 13K and 120mph. It was so peaceful. And as a forum user in the drag racing world, I also know that the forum has great info. So here are my questions. Of course any questions that can be aswered by previous competent posts or sticky's please feel free to direct me. This forum just seems fairly large already as I surf it. 1. Is there a list of terminology, definitions and acronyms? 2. Rent gear or buy? (If buy; where to buy, what to buy, and why) 3. AFF, 7 Level or 8 (what's the difference?) 4. Competent AFF school in SoCal? (i live in san Diego, but have read some things about a DZ here and had a less than a desirable experience with them already) 5. Lastly, with all the pricing out there, what is a reasonable price I should pay for school? Well I know its a long post and if any of you are like me on other forums, sometimes newbees are dismissed quickly as I am probably asking questions a 1000 other newbees have asked; hence the "point me to another thread or sticky. So, to anyone who replies, thank you in advance. Take care, Steve.

Greetings everyone, Just thought I would say hi and start browsing. The name is Steve, I'm 35 and I just made my first tandem jump yesterday......WHOA! I'm hooked! Why did I ever wait so long. Made the jump from 13K in carlsbad CA. All I can say is I thought I'd ha e this amazing adrenaline rush, and in fact, it was a peaceful as sitting in a lawn chair on the beach for me. Pure peace to be falling. Well that was my first jump. Not my last. I am on the navy and am getting ready to deploy in 4 weeks so I am going to spend the next few months browsing and learning. When I am back I am going get licensed here in san Diego and start my new love. So I'm looking for info, learning more about gear, the sport etc. A little about myself, I'm into lifting, running (working towrad the Boston marathon), huge golfer and love to build and drag race cars. Looking forward to nearing new friends hope yall have a great day.