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BR34
09-12-08, 12:41 PM
What up Marines?!?

Have any of you ever gone through Ft. Benning's jump school? Any tips on how to get orders there?

I want to get this as an incentive when I reenlist (or maybe before).

I know some of you may think it's stupid for a Marine to want to go through it, but I think a bunch of 4 mile runs and jumping from a plane 5 times is a fun way to go TAD for 3 weeks!!!

Semper Fi

Moules
09-12-08, 01:23 PM
What up Marines?!?

Have any of you ever gone through Ft. Benning's jump school? Any tips on how to get orders there?

I want to get this as an incentive when I reenlist (or maybe before).

I know some of you may think it's stupid for a Marine to want to go through it, but I think a bunch of 4 mile runs and jumping from a plane 5 times is a fun way to go TAD for 3 weeks!!!

Semper Fi

Yeah, I agree Jump school is a goal I want to accomplish in my Marine Corps career aswell. Semper Fi..

Mikewebe
09-12-08, 02:38 PM
Lat move to 0451 or go recon is about your only hopes. And there are Marine Corps Blackhats at benning, its not as uncommon as people think

Moules
09-12-08, 02:41 PM
Lat move to 0451 or go recon is about your only hopes. And there are Marine Corps Blackhats at benning, its not as uncommon as people think

When I was in boot camp our drill instructors said once in a while your mos might have a couple of spots open to go to jump school but you would have to ask the 1st Sgt. I dont know, just saying what I was told. Semper Fi..

Mikewebe
09-12-08, 03:10 PM
Jump qoutas come to all Infantry Battalions but when I was in Officers had the first shot and then any outstanding Marine, and one Corporal I knew won a meritorious promotion board, but was told they couldn't promote him so they sent him to Jump school.

2ndCEBSupply
09-12-08, 03:25 PM
Marines are allowed in to jump school so is any MOS it just on rare occasions that you get selected talk to your battalion just make sure to tell only a few people about it other wise it will spread like wildfire and everyone is going to be asking to go. Talk to ....i forgot what he or she MOS is called they try to reinlist you they will have all the info you need. They work with S1. Good Luck and like is said keep the noise down otherwise everyone is going to want to go and rank is always going to come first.

Mikewebe
09-12-08, 03:39 PM
Career Planner maybe ?

2ndCEBSupply
09-12-08, 03:44 PM
YES exactly thanks for helping with that brain fart

AL49BGN
09-12-08, 03:48 PM
Definately talk to your career Planner.But like the other Marine said unless you are chosen for Recon or do a lateral move to 0451 it will hard as hell.Good Luck!

HurricaneRJ
09-12-08, 04:21 PM
Be nice one day to go back home to Ft. Benning and get my jump wings. Then I can go home and slap the **** out of my brothers and father.

zx6rdr
09-12-08, 04:31 PM
You'll also have a better chance if your get attached to an ANGLICO unit.

Mikewebe
09-12-08, 04:35 PM
I thought Anglico was getting phased out. At least the unit in Long Beach Ca was.

zx6rdr
09-12-08, 04:39 PM
Huh, I havent heard that...

.....I just got on 1st ANGLICO's web site, looks like they are still going strong.

BR34
09-12-08, 04:39 PM
Are there any restrictions on when I can talk to the career planner? I've got about a year left before being eligible to reenlist, would now be a bad time to talk to the planner?

Mikewebe
09-12-08, 04:47 PM
14 months used to be the max, don't know now but it couldn't hurt. and Zx my buddy was a rigger at Anglico years ago so who knows but he was telling me they were getting a different mission and being more of the.....I forget the term but where they distribute pamphlets and pysch warfare type stuff

thewookie
09-12-08, 08:16 PM
I think a bunch of 4 mile runs and jumping from a plane 5 times is a fun way to go TAD for 3 weeks!!! Semper Fi

Have they increased the distance for the runs? When I was there in 95, I think the longest we ran was 1.5 miles,, and that was at the slowest man/chics pace. You could almost walk the runs,,, you could.

But I'll be honest, in my eight years it was one of the best things I did. Standing in an open doorway of a C-130 or 141, going over 150mph, wearing well over 100lbs, waiting for the green light to jump out of a perfectly good airplane - is exhilarating.

I used to describe the first 5 seconds after you jump out like listening to Metalica blasting away, then, once the shoot opens it's amazing, like the music is switched to Beethoven.

I was the number one guy on the stack 3 of the 5 jumps, of course I asked to be there so I could get the whole experience, and I did.

The toughest thing there is trying not to get hurt and sent home for some stupid reason, and trying to hold back the laughter watching all the Sgt. Airborne's yell at the doggies like they were still at basic.

I earned my seat at Security Forces, they get a lot of them, they are all Navy qouta's.

SGT7477
09-12-08, 08:19 PM
Be nice one day to go back home to Ft. Benning and get my jump wings. Then I can go home and slap the **** out of my brothers and father.

Why would you want to do that,lol?:flag:

BR34
09-12-08, 08:36 PM
Have they increased the distance for the runs? When I was there in 95, I think the longest we ran was 1.5 miles,, and that was at the slowest man/chics pace. You could almost walk the runs,,, you could.

But I'll be honest, in my eight years it was one of the best things I did. Standing in an open doorway of a C-130 or 141, going over 150mph, wearing well over 100lbs, waiting for the green light to jump out of a perfectly good airplane - is exhilarating.

I used to describe the first 5 seconds after you jump out like listening to Metalica blasting away, then, once the shoot opens it's amazing, like the music is switched to Beethoven.

I was the number one guy on the stack 3 of the 5 jumps, of course I asked to be there so I could get the whole experience, and I did.

The toughest thing there is trying not to get hurt and sent home for some stupid reason, and trying to hold back the laughter watching all the Sgt. Airborne's yell at the doggies like they were still at basic.

I earned my seat at Security Forces, they get a lot of them, they are all Navy qouta's.

How was the training broke down. I read a bit on Bennings website and it seems to say that even Marines have to wear Army fatigues with Marine branch of service name tapes. Are Marines trained by Marines as far as PT and everday dealings go? Or do the soldiers do everything from the time you check in to when you check out?

I'm pretty sure the website said 3.5-4 mile runs at like a 9 minute pace. I figured I'd just do the first 3 in 20:30 and I'd have 15 minutes for the last 1 mile.

Did you get to wear the wings on your blues?

MGySgtSki
09-12-08, 08:47 PM
Jump qoutas come to all Infantry Battalions but when I was in Officers had the first shot and then any outstanding Marine, and one Corporal I knew won a meritorious promotion board, but was told they couldn't promote him so they sent him to Jump school.

It might have seemed like officers got the first shot, but the enlisted and officer school quotas are coded entirely different. An officer can't go to airborne school in an enlisted seat and vice versa.

As far as being able to go to airborne school as an incentive, I believe they're still doing it for reenlistments if MMSB has the allocations available. Used to frustrate the heck out of me when I couldn't get Marines that really needed to go to the school as part of their pipeline requirements, but somebody else in our same battalion ended up going as a reenlistment incentive......

And for what it's worth, jump school is an easy 3 weeks. Nothing hard about it at all, but they are (or at least used to be) overly nit picky with Marine students. I'm sure that's gotten better over the years though.

S/F

BR34
09-12-08, 08:52 PM
What kind of things are they nit picky about MSgt?

MGySgtSki
09-12-08, 08:53 PM
How was the training broke down. I read a bit on Bennings website and it seems to say that even Marines have to wear Army fatigues with Marine branch of service name tapes. Are Marines trained by Marines as far as PT and everday dealings go? Or do the soldiers do everything from the time you check in to when you check out?

I'm pretty sure the website said 3.5-4 mile runs at like a 9 minute pace. I figured I'd just do the first 3 in 20:30 and I'd have 15 minutes for the last 1 mile.

Did you get to wear the wings on your blues?

There are a few Marine instructors at Benning, but most of them are Army since it's an Army school and they have the most number of students. All students there go through the exact same training from the same instructors. Marines won't come get you for PT or anything else. You'll see the folks from the Marine Liaison Office when you check in, a couple of times throughout the 3 weeks of training and again at graduation and checkout.

There's no way you'd be required to wear the Army uniform. Your digies and issued boots are just fine for the school.

Oh, and you wouldn't be doing any kind of individual runs there. They're all in formation, painfully slow, and you have to be able to touch the person in front of you the entire time. If you fall farther back than being able to touch the person in front of you, you can be considered a run drop regardless if you're hurting or not. Three run drops and you're gone from the course.

Of course you could wear the wings on your blues, and service uniforms and cammies too.

S/F

MGySgtSki
09-12-08, 08:55 PM
What kind of things are they nit picky about MSgt?

They used to be very picky with Marines during the initial PT test. Not counting push-ups was the most common. Have had a Marine that was a PT stud (could do plenty of push-ups and any other exercise needed) get sent home from Benning because they couldn't do enough push-ups.

S/F

BR34
09-12-08, 09:15 PM
Any tips on getting into the course, MSgt? I've only been in for about 2 years, haven't done crap, and I want something to tell my grand kids about one day.

thewookie
09-12-08, 09:18 PM
How was the training broke down. I read a bit on Bennings website and it seems to say that even Marines have to wear Army fatigues. Are Marines trained by Marines as far as PT and everday dealings go? Or do the soldiers do everything from the time you check in to when you check out?

I'm pretty sure the website said 3.5-4 mile runs at like a 9 minute pace. I figured I'd just do the first 3 in 20:30 and I'd have 15 minutes for the last 1 mile.

Did you get to wear the wings on your blues?

I'm sure some stuff has changed, and my memory for the distance of the runs could be a little foggy, but the pace and overall gaggle was sloppy and slow.

1st week is ground week - spend all day during the first week learning how to do a PLF - Parachute Landing Fall. You eventually get to where you're jumping out of a mock-up bird from about 6 - 10 feet with no chute. The goal when you land is to try and have your whole body absorb the landing, and not land flat footed. Cause you'll break if you do. Land using the five points of contact -- the balls of your feet, your calf/shins, your thighs, azz, and then finally your side. You wanna hit the deck and roll with it.

2nd week is tower week - this is where you get up in the air a little bit, you practice jumping out of mock bird from various distances and then you do a few tower jumps towards the end from the 250' tower. Remember when you jump out - keep your feet and knee's together.

3rd week is jump week - you basically have to wait until they get the right ground wind speed, and overall weather conditions to get a jump off. I was there in December of 95 and it took our company all week to get our 5 jumps in. We spent a lot of time waiting in the hangers all geared-up - your friggin balls are all cramped up in that gear, it's like wearing a rappel seat all day.

We had to do a hasty graduation, the Marine Colonel liaison Officer who was stationed there did the sticking, or pinning of the blood wings right on the DZ. Right after our 5th jump that ended up being on the final Friday. This was great cause I hate tacky ceremonies and the way we did it, all of the Marines in our company got pinned together, the army said no blood wings (at the time they were starting to frown on this type of shiat, what a gas bag that is) so we formed up and hid from the Army behind the bus :)

The first jump if the ground air speed is higher then say 7 or 8 mph at the drop zone then you can't jump. We would go up in the bird for hours waiting for the word from the DZ on the right wind speed. Guys would be puking in their hats/everywhere, this is becuase you were up there forever sometimes and they had army reservist pilots practicing low level flying, waiting for the right wind speed. Each jump they allow for a little higher ground wind speed, I don't think they allow for more then 15mph.

The reason for the concern with the ground wind speed is because you're jumping some old chutes, and they basically go where the wind takes you. They are not the same chutes the high screed guys use. You can pull your risers into your chest and try to change your direction, somewhat, but with those chutes you're not going change your drift that much, you might slow yourself down if anything. I only jumped those chutes 5 times, so somebody with more jumps might have a different take on it.

I personally think they should call it land school and not jump school cause you need to know how to land or you really get focked up. You're like a lawn dart.

5 jumps total - 4 day and 1 night, 3 from a C-130, and the other two from the 141's

I wore my lead sled, or chump wings on everything. I used the "aged" wings for the cammies and Alpha's, and the polished silver wings for the Blues.

MGySgtSki
09-12-08, 09:20 PM
Any tips on getting into the course, MSgt? I've only been in for about 2 years, haven't done crap, and I want something to tell my grand kids about one day.

Just depends on what your MOS is, where you're stationed and that kind of thing. If you're not in a position to lat move to a field that has a jump mission, I'd recommend talking to you career planner as soon as you're eligible to reenlist and see what he/she can do for you. Best bet though, run the recon indoc and get into a recon bn......that'd give you plenty to tell your grandkids.

Feel free to PM me if you'd rather not continue this discussion in the open forum.

S/F

HurricaneRJ
09-12-08, 09:24 PM
Why would you want to do that,lol?:flag:LCpl. When my brothers went through ABN school, they say that the Marines put out the most. I remember going to their graduations, and literally every branch was there (except coast guard).

My brother wan't a very strong runner in the begining, they had split up the run groups.

Group A
Marines, SEALs, PJ's and Rangers

Group B
Females and recently graduated Infantryman

Group C
I forgot what made this group.

Now as far as distance, it's called the Airborne shuffle. It's long and agonizing, but the best part my brother recalls, is when he was late for formation and his Chalk leader made him run with Group A. Worst time of his life trying to keep up with the Marines. They are Marine Blackhats (jump masters) there, I've talked to a few, all of them were Recon at one point. Pretty cool guys, but Black hats are dicks to everybody including officers, I've heard.

In the beginning, they mentioned the runs being long and the PT hard at first, but in the end they slacked up. He also said that ABN school isn't meant to be a break-off as Male and Females attend together and of course not every branch emphaize PT as we do. Just early mornings, nights and weekends off. They had it made, go to training, and get to come home for home cooked meals.

The only problem he had there is in the summer time. Army guys can't roll up their sleeves, but we can.:nerd:

BR34
09-12-08, 09:27 PM
Thanks for all the info Sgt, and MSgt. I'd like to change my MOS to the rigger one, but I see I'd need a secret clearance to do so. I've already been denied that, so my best bet will probably be reenlistment incentive. Hopefully the Marine Corps thinks I'm valuable enough to send to jump school. Sounds like fun!!!

2ndLAADBnWRENCH
09-12-08, 09:37 PM
Huh, I havent heard that...

.....I just got on 1st ANGLICO's web site, looks like they are still going strong.

They've been disbanded a few times, reassigned under Force Recon auspess yet they always go back to they're own unit... Or last I heard of been a few years lol since around them..

MGySgtSki
09-12-08, 10:23 PM
They've been disbanded a few times, reassigned under Force Recon auspess yet they always go back to they're own unit... Or last I heard of been a few years lol since around them..

ANGLICO is back, but the active duty units have no jump mission as of yet. Never have been a branch off of force or anywhere close to the same mission set.

S/F

Wyoming
09-12-08, 10:43 PM
Be nice one day to go back home to Ft. Benning and get my jump wings. Then I can go home and slap the **** out of my brothers and father.

Family, Raymon, family. Never forget, they are family.

RVHall
09-13-08, 04:57 AM
were all jump qualified prior to Vietnam, but they needed too many warm bodies and dropped the requirement early in the war. Stateside, I was btn. recon, and the ANGLICO mission was usually to provide close air support or NGF support, but recon-style insertions and op's happened but were uncommon. More common was that an ANGLICO team would accompany an allied (including U.S. Army) infantry platoon or company to provide capabilities that they didn't have, or to set up a NGF OP such as the one up on the DMZ.

The 1st ANGLICO Marines detatched to 3rd Bn 2nd ROK Marine Bde had a monkey, Muggs, who they jump qualified, however, with a flare parachute. Muggs made several jumps, although with much screaming and biting.

However, according to Capt. Jason Angell (by email and phone communication), a three tour Iraq veteran, two with 1st ANGLICO, the missions there are more similar to the recon-style of operation I knew in the 60's, except that ANGLICO Marines have a specific focus: to call in ordinance on bad guys, and perhaps still the other aspects of close air support.

tripledog
09-13-08, 11:05 AM
I fail to understand why a good Marine, would want to jump from a perfectly good airplane.

BR34
09-13-08, 04:00 PM
I fail to understand why a good Marine, would want to jump from a perfectly good airplane.

I love adrenaline!!!

My wife is pregnant, so I had to get rid of the GTO, can't take my Trailblazer to the track. Next best thing for me is jumping out of a plane...FOR FREE!!!

Plus I'll be able to say I actually did something while in the Corps.

HurricaneRJ
09-13-08, 04:56 PM
Plus the extra money a month would not hurt either.

Congrats on the baby.

BR34
09-13-08, 04:57 PM
Plus the extra money a month would not hurt either.

Congrats on the baby.

No, parachute duty pay is only for member's on jump status. I won't be getting that. Doing it just for fun, lol.

Thanks!

Moules
09-14-08, 01:07 AM
I love adrenaline!!!

My wife is pregnant, so I had to get rid of the GTO, can't take my Trailblazer to the track. Next best thing for me is jumping out of a plane...FOR FREE!!!

Plus I'll be able to say I actually did something while in the Corps.


Congrats on the Baby...

afelle27
10-06-08, 12:56 PM
im pending a LATMOVE/Re-up into 0451, and ive read all the orders and NAVMCs and training & readiness manuals back to front. i want the real down n dirty from the actually riggers.