JUMP SCHOOL The hardest three weeks in my life had to have been going through Jump School. Jumping out of planes always sounded like a good time. I never really thought I'd get the chance to do it. Jump School was known as one of toughest schools the Army has. I was so nervous, I had no ideal what was instore for me. Once I got there ,the instructors gave everyone the weekend off .
We were told to be ready for week one, "Ground Training", on Monday morning.
" Ground Week ",the first weeks training, was mostly a physical challenge. Everywhere I went I had to be running. If I was standing, in line for chow, I had to be running in place. In between the running, they filled the day with tumbling and rolling, to practice my falls, in saw dust pits. Being August and very hot ,the saw dust stuck to me like breading.
A "Black Hat"
English: US Army students from the Airborne School...
English: Parachutist Badge.I had saw dust coming out of my ears by the time it was over. This doesn't sound like it's to hard but try doing it over and over again, my falls had to be perfect. Once the weekend came around again, I was ready for the rest The second week, or "Tower Week", was more of a mental challenge. I thought the running part was over ,but unfortunately the runs got longer. The first tower was the Five Foot Tower. From this tower I jumped to the ground and rolled away .The next tower was Fifty Foot Tower, a challenge just to look over the edge. I was hooked to a parachute harness, that attached to a cable. The cable ran down a slope to a hill about one hundred feet away.
Jumping out of the tower I raced along the ground till I came to the hill, where someone stopped me. The final tower stood two hundred feet tall. Standing at the bottom and looking up was enough to scare anyone. The instructor lowered a parachute on a cable from the top.I was then strapped in and raised to the top.
At the top, after a count of three, the cable disconnected and I was free to fall two hundred feet in a parachute. After getting comfortable with this I was ready for the next week.
"Jump Week", is the final week of training. I was so excited to finally get to jump out of an air plane. During this week I had to make five jumps to pass the course. The first jump was the easiest for me, I was so scared I didn't have time to think about what I was doing. Before I knew it I was floating above the ground at about a thousand feet. It was such an emotional experience, to know that I can push a side my fear and do whatever I want.
Every jump since that first one scares me, but the rush to push myself anyway makes it worth it. The last four jumps of the week went great, I was still in one piece.
Graduation was on the next Monday. I felt so proud to have made it through and to be getting my "Airborne" wings. Being Airborne in the Army sets you apart from everyone else. Having the Airborne wings ment you pushed your self to that extra mile. When the General pinned the wings on my chest I think I had a tear in my eye. Once the ceremony was over, I sat in my room with a smile on my face knowing I could do anything I set my mind to.
As you can see Jump School tests your physical, emotional, and mental capabilities. After finishing Jump School I can sit back and say it was one of the hardest three weeks of my life. It taught me you have to work at the things you want no matter how hard it seems to be, it makes attainment that much better in the long run.
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