Input on being a paratrooper

[Gordon Angus Mackinlay]

Andrew,

having just looked at the syntax in your last message (plus the appalling spelling) it would appear that you are either intellectually impaired or are a child of 11 or 12 years.

In either case you should not be corresponding on such matters as these as they are totally beyond your comprehension.

Yours,
G.A.MACKINLAY

 

[asdf]

I have to say that I completely agree with Jock. If you want to have FUN parachuting, go learn to skydive (it‘s worth it). On the other hand, being a Paratrooper (as opposed to the act of parachuting) IS fun (at least it was for me as a younger soldier). Hard work? Sure. Painfull? Sure. Personally and professionally satisfying? That too.

A friend of mine who recently finished his Combat DIver course told me: "well, I‘m convinced that the military can make anything suck: parchuting, mountaineering (the MOI course) and now SCUBA diving" That doesn‘t mean that he didn‘t want to do all of those things, or that they weren‘t satisfying, but FUN?

Mind you, it all looks like fun in retrospect, doesn‘t it?

 

[Jarnhamar]

On the negitive side of things i‘ve heard many stories of young paratroopers growing older plagued with ruined backs hips legs and knees and having the army all but shrug their shoulders and look the other way. (no CF-98? pfft you had those injuries before you joined the army, scram).
If your "lucky" you‘ll get reckognized and looked after by military doctors. No offense to medical officers but the amount of cases where an MO has operated on the wrong knee or fiddled with the wrong disc in your back is just unbelieveable.

Parachuting is an awesome rush, specially for someone afraid of heights but as far as army jumping goes i say jump at your own risk.

Someone mentioned you can jump at 300 feet? I thought the canadian limit was 800 or 1000 feet?

 

[Andy]

just to let you know, im not 11 or 12, im 19. English is not my specialty, nor am i anal enough to go back over every word i typed to check for errors or grammar misteaks. I appreciate your input on paratrooping, however i do ask that you treat me with a little more respect. It says in my profile my age, if you really needed to know.

 

[Doug VT]

Yeah Gord, lighten up on the guy. He‘s just a little excited about the whole idea of being "Airborne".

I rather do enjoy military parachuting. I have never been nervous, right from jump #1. Also been lucky enough never to get hurt although I‘ve seen some pretty painful "accidents". I‘ve jumped really heavy rucks, radios, and the usual assortment of non-standard loads and the only thing that ever really bothered me was how much the harness digs into my shoulders. That‘s why I can‘t wait to get out of the plane. It‘s a great feeling when the chute opens and the weight shifts!

As for getting sick, that‘s what the barf bags are for. Been lucky enough not to get sick yet either. It really depends on the state that you are in and the way the pilot is flying. My worst one was two weeks ago on a BTAT in Trenton. It was for a tactical loadmasters‘ course. Winds were too high so it was a stop-drop. We did about an hour of contour flying and were at the stand-by twice. After seatbelts were back on we did some more contour flying and a bunch of touch and go‘s. One of the students filled three bags. Some of our guys were on the edge but held it in. I had a headache for about 4 hours after that one, everyone was a little screwed up.
Some guys puke on every jump, or hate to jump period. But because they want the maroon beret so bad, they do it.

It‘s true that the jumping is a very small part about being a Paratrooper, it‘s so much more. The real stuff starts on the DZ....

 

[Andy]

thank you kindly for your input doug

 

[Doug VT]

Also about the "Cadet" thing, the course couldn‘t be made easier if they tried. Of course they should keep their wings, it‘s a national qualification. You‘re just whining because you don‘t have your wings. Grow up. What they teach at the school is how to rig your kit, don your equipment, safely exit the aircraft and make it to the ground without injuring yourself or anyone else. There are no tactical lessons taught at the school, for basic para. The Parachute Company will teach you the rest if you find yourself there.
I‘ve known a lot of guys who did their course in Cadets and they usually ended up being one of the guys that you would want to be fighting beside. In fact, the "Cadet" course, (if you can call it that, since the only difference is that it is made up entirely of cadet students---all the inst are CPC) is more often more difficult then our course because of the 3 weeks of work-up. And the cadets have a better pass rate because (usually) they are a select few from across all of Canada and are physically able to succeed.

Bottom line...
ONE COURSE--ONE STANDARD.

 

[Jarnhamar]

Doug, i was on the DZ in trenton two weeks ago as a part of the DZ control party. If im not mistaken a handful of people over the 2 weeks or so got hurt but i sure had a blast watching the jumpers, i‘ve never seen that before. Now unfortinuatly theres no more jumpers, just jeeps and trailers. We had one trailers chute completly malfunction, the trailer had a pretty rough landing from 1000 feet heh

 

[Doug VT]

Yeah, I‘ve seen you around. Are you on class B at the CPC?

 

[Sharpey]

"You‘re just whining because you don‘t have your wings. Grow up" That was cute... I don‘t recall whining about not having my wings. I don‘t want my wings. My trades keep me on the ground thank you. I prefer to stay seated on a plane, not jump out of them. If I wanted them I would have put my name down for the course when it was being offered this summer. As mentioned previously by me, this was nothing against Cadets, it was a simple freaking question! So forget whatever I said and let‘s get on with the thread...

 

[Jarnhamar]

Yes class B for another 2 weeks. I‘m in cadpat where my cohorts are in the olive drab. Working at CPC is a great tasking but it gets boring pretty fast especially commuting back and forth from kingston every day.

 

[Doug VT]

Your lucky that‘s all I said. I had a PI sitting beside me when I typed that and he thought I was too nice. He‘s taught on the Cadet course and practically has every course that is taught at the CPC. Heaven forbid that a Cadet could do a course that is actually worth something.

 

[Jarnhamar]

I don‘t know a great deal about cadets but have you seen or heard of the budget they get?
I know a guy who was acting as a mountian climbing instructor for them and he told whomever that he needed some cash to buy a few items for the course and the cadet leader pretty much gave him a blank cheque to get "whatever he thought was required" That couse had all top line equipment. What to do with the climbing gear afterwars my friend asked. "Make it disappear" so his unit got quite a few new toys. Wether soldiers like the cadets and or their organization or not, the higher ups seem to LOVE them and its obvious by the amount of coin they get to spend.

 

[Sharpey]

Geez, mabye we should start puttin in Req‘s to the Cadet Corps for hand-me-down equipment I wonder if any of them have NVG‘s hmmmm....

 

[Zoomie]

The ONLY support that the Cadet‘s get directly from the forces is in the way of uniforms, vehicles and tranining space. All monetary support comes from the Cadet League of Canada, which has no connection with the CF or the budget at DND.

 

[Guzman]

hey,i have a few questions about the para troopers and the para coys.anyone with info,jumper or not thank u in advance.

1, what happens when u complete jump school? is there always room in a para coy,or do u just return to ur unit...

2,if u return to your reg. unit,do u ever get to jump or go on ex‘s with other para-troopers or para coys?

3,do para coys have a more difficult daily routine?

4,does jump school and serving in a para-coy compare to serving in the 75th ranger regiment as far as "hard-core" training and high standers to stay in?

5,once in,how often do they jump on training?

again,thanks for all the info.im sure ill have more to add to this soon,till then thank you and goodbye.

p.s. if any para-troopers read this feel free to share ur thoughts and exp‘s on the topic specialy jumping for the first time !

 

[Jarnhamar]

1. Your a qualified parachutest. You go back to your regular unit. If your in a unit with a jump company (a la 3rcr) i think you have to have your jump course for a year or somethign like that upon which at the end, if you ask to goto para coy, they review your uer or per (whatever) basically see how good of a soldier tyou are/if they want ya or not.

2. Im sure they have small unit exchanges but probably only if your in a para coy. When they have a jump week-end whoever has their course can usually go out (providing theres room).

3. I‘d say more relaxed from what i saw. The leaders trusted the troops more and knew whatever had to be done would get done.

4. Considering the over all fitness level of the CF (standards) as well as budget and quality of equipment goes, i‘d say no.

5. To stay active or whatever the word is (and keep their jump allowence i think), jumpers have to jump atleast once every 3 months.

 

[para]

He‘s got the basic info but very basic.
Going to the Para Coy is like a promotion to a young soldier. The soldier has to prove that he is physically prepared to assume the role of a "PARATROOPER"
we have a more relaxed attitude due to the fact we have to trust each other with our lives " under canopy" and also the fact we get senior soldiers not a bunch of new guys, so it is expected that when you get to the company that you should know the basics.

 

[Erborn]

If you want a real challenge. Why not appy to be a Para Rigger .
A Retired Rigger
I will be sure always