Special Training
Airborne School
You hook up your static line. You check your parachute equipment. You move toward the door of the aircraft - and then it's your turn. The cold air hits you in the face and, suddenly one step later, the only thing between you and the ground is 1,300 feet of air. And, of course, three weeks of intense training that have thoroughly prepared you for this moment. Talk about a rush! Having successfully survived jump school, Soldiers graduate and are given their Airborne wings. Wings are a mark of courage, daring and skill. But jump school is more than an airborne academy. It's a confidence school, a leadership school. Soldiers who complete the course leave with greater self-respect and self confidence. That's something they have for the rest of their lives. Do you have what it takes?
Ground Training (Week 1)
During ground training week, you begin
an intensive program of instruction
building individual skills designed to
prepare you to make a parachute jump and
land safely. The equipment your platoon
will train on are the mock door, the 34
foot tower, and the lateral drift
apparatus (LDA). You must qualify on the
34 foot tower, the LDA, properly perform
the Parachute Landing Fall (PLF) and
pass all Physical Training (PT)
requirements to go on to tower training
week.
Tower Training (Week 2)
The individual skills learned during
week one will be refined during tower
week and a team effort or "mass exit"
concept is added to the training. The
apparatus used during this week are the
swing landing trainer (SLT) and the
suspended harness (SH). Week two
completes the individual skill training
and builds team effort skills. You must
qualify on the mass exit procedures, the
SLT, and pass all PT requirements to go
forward to jump training week.
Jump Training (Week 3)
This is it! The previous weeks of
training have prepared you for this
week. If you are not ready to jump, you
will not enter this phase. Week three is
devoted to your five qualifying jumps.
Before you make your first jump you will
receive a review of malfunctions and
aircraft orientation and be organized
and manifested for the jump. Unless
restricted by the lack of jump aircraft
or weather, graduation is normally
conducted on Friday of week three at the
Airborne Walk. Guests are welcome to
observe jumps at Fryar Drop Zone, watch
graduation, and participate in awarding
the wings. On Friday morning your
company will out-process and following
graduation you should be allowed to
depart.
The U.S. Army Airborne school is located at Fort Benning, Georgia. This school is available to eligible Cadets during the winter and summer breaks.
PHASE 1: COMBAT AIR ASSAULT OPERATIONS
During this phase you will conduct
various training evolutions such as the
famous (infamous for some) obstacle
course followed by a two mile run. You
will be tested with written and
practical exams. The practical
examination will be on aircraft hand and
arm signals. The written examination
will cover material such as Army
helicopter characteristics and
capabilities, and medical evacuation
procedures. You will also conduct PT, a
four mile road march, and a combat air
assault operation.
PHASE 2: SLING LOAD OPERATIONS
Phase two is the most difficult phase of
Air Assault. You will be tested on
practical rigging and inspection of
sling loads for utility and cargo
helicopters. Written tests will also
follow in phase two. Written
examinations will be on Pathfinder
operations. Practical examinations will
be on inspections of various sling
loads. You will have two minutes to find
a minimum of three of the four
discrepancies placed in various sling
loads. You will participate in a live
sling load operation during this phase.
PHASE 3: RAPPELLING
During the rappelling phase you will be
tested on tying the swiss seat (90
seconds is the standard), ramp, tower,
skid rappelling, and fast-rope
techniques. Before you know it you will
find yourself going out of an actual
helicopter. The final test for Air
Assault is the 12 mile road march with
full combat gear. When you complete this
test and march onto the parade field,
you will be a member of the elite
team of . . . AIR ASSAULT!!!
Northern Warfare School
The Northern Warfare Training Center is located in Ft. Greely, Alaska. The course is three weeks long with emphasis on mobility in mountainous terrain, glaciers, and inland waterways. Mountain phase includes climbing, rappelling, and medical evacuation. The River phase covers boat operations, stream crossing, and river charting, reading and navigation. The Glacier phase covers crevasse rescue, step cutting and anchors, belaying, and party climbing.
Leaders' Training Course (LTC)
Leader’s Training Course is a 4-week opportunity for rising college juniors, graduate degree programs, and high school graduates attending one of five military junior colleges, to experience world-class leadership training. Cadets develop new skills, experience personal growth and awareness, and become qualified for enrollment in the Advanced Course of Army ROTC that ultimately leads to a commission as an Army Officer. Training is conducted 26 of 28 days at LTC. Cadets will have two days off, usually on Sunday, when they will be allowed to take advantage of the numerous MWR facilities on post and religious services, essentially to experience life on an Army installation.
Conducted at Fort Knox, Kentucky, the Leader's Training Course is not basic training. The main focus of LTC is to develop leadership skills through exposure to interactive personal and group experiences. Cadets are introduced to the "Soldierization" experience as the learn many of the basic Soldier sills that set the U.S. Army apart from civilian colleagues. Army Drill Sergeants and cadre from universities across the nation play key roles in the Cadet experience as they provide guidance and mentorship while evaluating and providing feedback to Cadets who lead themselves through the daily training rigors.
Through this experience, Cadets learn how and when to lead others and the importance of teamwork in accomplishing a common goal. More importantly, they are taught the values and ethos of an Army officer. Training is sequenced in a logical building-block manner, which allows an ideal flow of training for each company. Training is organized into four phases. The training program includes:
Soldier First Phase – a three-day indoctrination designed to introduce the Cadets to the U.S. Army. The underpinning premise is that in order to be a good leader, you must first understand what it means to be a Soldier. Upon arrival to the Leader’s Training Course, the Cadets are introduced to the same standards as initial entry trainees by the Army’s professional NCO Corps--specifically the Drill Sergeants. The Cadets learn how to wear the uniform, are introduced to the Army Physical Fitness Program, and are taught the basics of Drill and Ceremony. Upon completion of the Soldier First Phase the Cadets participate in a Guidon Ceremony where they are formally assigned into platoons with a subordinate Cadet chain of command.
Warrior Leader Phase – covers adventure training, which builds both Cadet self-confidence and unit esprit-de-corps. Additionally, Cadets learn basic military skills in order to function as a small unit member. Training includes: Teamwork Development Course, Rappelling, Water Survival, Stream Crossing, Troop Leading Procedures, Drill and Ceremonies, Heavy Weapons, the Hand Grenade Assault Course, Road Marches, Basic Rifle Marksmanship, Map Reading, Land Navigation, Orienteering, Squad Tactics, and, of course, physical fitness.
Bold Leader (FTX) Phase – is the course’s four-day FTX “Capstone Exercise.” Cadets are exposed to autonomous squad level operations where cadre assess the Cadets’ leadership ability in a physically and emotionally stressful field environment. Cadets will experience event-oriented leadership training opportunities such as rock climbing and high ropes courses, squad tactics and paintball, survival training, and water operations. There are also many unexpected leadership situational training exercises Cadets encounter during the four-day period.
Future Leader Phase – as the final phase of LTC, Cadets will reinforce and share their learning experience through small group reflection, final counseling, family day, and the graduation ceremony. The afternoon before graduation is a “Family Day” where families and friends are briefed about the course and allowed to spend the afternoon with Cadets.
Typical Training Day
0500 Wake up
0530-0630 PT
0630-0800 Breakfast/hygiene/barracks maintenance
0800-1200 Training
1200-1300 Lunch and movement integrated
1300-1700 Training
1700-1730 Movement to barracks
1730-1830 Dinner
1830-2000 Reinforcement time/Counseling/Additional Training
2000-2100 Cadet Troop Leading Procedures/Barracks Maintenance
2100-2200 Hygiene/Cadet Time
2200 Lights out
For more information about the Leadership Training Course Visit their website.
Leadership Development Assessment Course (LDAC)
LDAC puts each Cadet through 32 days of intense individual, squad and platoon-level training to assess leadership potential. Cadets are measured against 23 leadership criteria such as: physical stamina, technical competence, delegation, decisiveness, and problem analysis. Instruction and evaluation at LDAC is progressive, building on individual skills like the Army Physical Fitness Test, basic rifle marksmanship, land navigation, and Individual Tactical Training.
The LDAC also allows Cadets to meet other students from across the country and work with them as a team. This is one of their greatest challenges at LDAC and also one of its best facets. By consolidating LDAC into one nationwide event in 1997, Cadet Command has been able to ensure standardized training and evaluation for all ROTC Cadets.
LDAC training committees employ active-duty Soldiers from Fort Lewis and Army Reserve and National Guard units from across the country to instruct Cadets in such skills as automatic weapons operation, calling for fire using field artillery assets, and small unit tactics.
Cadets face squad and platoon level situational training exercises which involve carefully evaluated missions, such as conducting an ambush, reacting to sniper fire, or performing a reconnaissance patrol.
Throughout LDAC, leadership positions are constantly rotated as each Cadet is monitored closely by committee members. Cadet Command staff, who conduct most of the training and evaluations, are Officers and senior NCOs who teach military science subjects on college campuses, nationwide. Once the Cadets finish LDAC, many may choose to attend Airborne or Air Assault School or go to a Cadet Troop Leadership Training assignments to gain additional experience.
