Anyone Scared Of Hieghts?

[jinelson]

Rappel Tower Tests Recruits Will and Guts

A drill instructor with Company H holds the rope for a recruit to ensure his safety as he slides down the depots rappel tower.

As a young recruit peeks over the rappel towers edge, his forehead begins to perspire and his limbs begin to shake. The recruit knows he must face his fear of heights as he knows the only way off this obstacle is straight down.

He gets into position with his toes on the edge and his heels facing away from the tower. In a matter of seconds, he rappels safely to the ground.

With a little more than a week left until graduation, recruits are challenged with the depots 60-foot-tall rappel tower. Recruits get the opportunity to become familiar with rappelling through a basic course.

During this training evolution, the recruits learn the basics of rappelling, said Staff Sgt. Rafael Trevino, an instructor with instructional training company. ?This also helps some of them overcome their fear of heights, and it allows them to gain trust in their equipment. This obstacle is definitely a confidence builder.

Recruits learn the proper techniques for rappelling as well as how to create the safety harness that will hold them safely when rappelling.

The harness is made using a six-foot rope that is wrapped around the legs and hips. Then it is secured by a series of square knots.

On the modern battlefield, wars are fought in urban areas. The best way to secure a building is from the top to the bottom as it throws the enemy off, according to Sgt. Juan Lopez, an instructor with Instructional Training Company.

Recruits get the opportunity to learn several different rappelling techniques. Fast roping, wall rappelling and descending a simulated helicopter hell hole are the three different training scenarios featured on the tower.

Fast roping, a method used for quick insertion on an objective from a helicopter, is the first technique recruits learn during this training phase. Sliding down 15 feet of rope to the ground, the fast technique is similar to the way a fire fighter slides down a pole during an emergency.

The recruits must do their part when sliding down the rope to quickly clear the landing zone to prevent being landed on by the following recruit.

Each recruit has the opportunity to experience fast roping during boot camp; however, they may not have the chance to do both of the other methods due to the short amount of time for the training evolution, according to Trevino.

Like the fast rope technique, the hell hole is used for fast insertion from a helicopter. The term hell hole refers to the hole in a helicopters fuselage. But unlike fast roping, hell hole insertion is used with safety equipment and is done at a higher altitude. This version of rappelling is a vertical drop from the top of the tower.

The other technique recruits may learn is the wall rappel. This method is also used with safety equipment, and simulates rappelling down the side of a building.

Recruits are issued the respective safety gear prior to the training evolution. With the assistance of a tactical helmet, gloves, ropes, carabiner and a spotter, recruits make their descent safely to the ground.

Although this training only gives recruits the basics, it will benefit them later when they continue this training while they are in the Fleet Marine Force, according Trevino.

During the one-day course, recruits learn three different techniques of rappelling. Although some recruits will not be in combat units, theres always a chance they may be called to fulfill the duty of every Marine and be a rifleman.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Funny, I was always scared of heights, but I was never scared doing rappelling. Heck, I'm STILL scared of heights...and I went through Airborne School in August of 1984!

Just something ya gotta get through.

Listen to what you are told, do what you are supposed to do....and ENJOY THE RIDE!

Just remember, you are getting paid to do this stuff....stuff that slimy civilians actually go out and PAY big bucks to go and do, and they call it 'extreme sports', and think they are cool.

They ain't. You will be. Years from now, when they talk about their 'adventures', look them square in the eye and say:

"It's not my fault I'm cooler than you because I'm a Marine!!"

Get's em every time...

[Marine84]

Yeah.............from the top of that thing the pine trees looked like carpet. I didn't have any problem going down backwards but, jumping off face first was a different story. I let go of the rope in the back - good thing that DIs are at the bottom to pull it tight in case you do something that stupid - HAHAHAHAHA! Then, of course, I had to go back up and do it again (with a DI on my a$$ yelling at me for letting go).

[christine_06]

That was one of the things my platoon didn't get a chance to do at boot camp, the schedule got changed in the middle of training.

[TylerA23]

when it comes to heights .. I"m scared $hitless ... but its one of those things that I cant think about i just have to say to my self "F*ck it, you only live once" and then just do it... thats how I get through obstacles...

[JWG]

Only looks scary when you're at the top.. so GET THE HELL DOWN FROM IT and JUMP!

CAN'T WAIT!!!

[rktect3j]

When I was about 14 I fell 3 floors off a scaffolding. About 30 feet. Broke my leg, a finger, sprained my wrist, chipped a tooth and took about another 10 stitches or so and spent that summer in traction for 5 weeks in the hospital. I have been scared of heights ever since. But the cool thing is that I loved rapelling. Still scared of the heights but I think the rush of the rapelling takes over. Once I got my feet over the edge I had no problem.

Now, I did not like the guard tower for the ammo dump at Pendleton. I got to do that job for about two months. Every time I had to climb one of those towers my hands would be drenched by the time I climbed to the top. I'd bet those towers were at least 50' plus. Getting vertigo just thinking about it. I think that was near camp Horno.

[drewster915]

I learned that if you complain you get sent to the front & have to do it twice.. So i shut up & do it anyway...Bridgeport Ca. Mountain warfare center
'89, I had to climb up a cliff & repel down, for the first time I missed the repel tower in bootcamp, i was so happy!! then cruel nature, second unit training was Mountain Warfare..awsome training.. i was affraid of heights, first time on the mountain I froze couldn't move held up the battalion for about 45 min.
after a few times going down it was to bad, then i learned to deal with it.
I'm not scared of Heights anymore, i just don't like'em....
Semper Fi..

[USMCVet1992]

First time I saw the world from the top of the tower, I thought I was s**t myself. Just sucked it up and got it done. There are a lot of challenges in Recruit Training that test your will and your fear of heights, but that is one of the reasons those obstacles are there, to teach you that you can do it.

[FistFu68]

HELL, THE HEIGHT IS NOTHING TO FEAR;IT'S THE SUDDEN STOP!THAT'S GONNA KILL YOU'R AZZ!!! (GERONIMO) RIP~CORD~RAIDER!!!

[1stRad2671]

Being a HRST master was some of the most fun I had in the Corps. Zipping out of a CH-53 with a full load is awesome.

[Poskew]

Im not going to lie im scared shi*less of heights..

[jinelson]

Bill dont sweat it you will overcome your fear.

Jim

[Soon2BeVIP]

Well I know I won't have fuuuun doing anything during boot camp, but I think I'm going to like this the best. For the last 5 or so years I've been doing rock climbing/rappeling and it's awesome. I don't know why I'm not scared of heights, but I'm scared of spiders. Of course this might all be different when I'm worried about screwing up in front of the DIs

[FistFu68]

YOU'LL BE FINE,SINCE YOU ENJOY RAPELLING;HELL WHEN YOU GET TOO THE SPIDER EATING COARSE~YOU'LL HAVE IT LICKED!(LMAO)JUST PRETEND THEY HAVE CHOCOLATE ON THEM 'DER SPIDER'S!!! SEMPER-SPIDER'S