Airborne or Air Assault: Which One?

EDelahanty · Mar 8, 2012

If you had the choice of one of these two during the summer, which would it be?

Also, have any parents attended jump school graduation at Ft. Benning?

Jcleppe · Mar 8, 2012

EDelahanty said:
If you had the choice of one of these two during the summer, which would it be?

Also, have any parents attended jump school graduation at Ft. Benning?

Son did Airborne, we live in Washington State so GA was a bit far for us. We saw the pics from the graduation and saw a lot of wives and family in them, must have lived close.

The only thing my son was told by his cadre is that Airborne can be a bit harder to get once they commission depending on what they branch, since Airborne is 3 weeks and Air Assult is only 10 days.

Plus, hey....you get to jump out of an airplane, even though I still think that's an insane thing to do but that's just me. Son loved it.

scoutpilot · Mar 8, 2012

EDelahanty said:
If you had the choice of one of these two during the summer, which would it be?

Also, have any parents attended jump school graduation at Ft. Benning?

Airborne. Air Assault is a divisional school and can be attended at one of several posts. Airborne, after commissioning, is almost always on an as-needed basis. If you aren't headed to a unit on jump status, you likely won't get it.

WestminsterDad · Mar 9, 2012

DS will be branching Infantry after commissioning in May. Upon completion of
IBOLC he will be attending Ranger school followed by Airborne school. Airborne school is almost a gimee for Infantry Officers. He was told by his school cadre that you get treated better if you attend Airborne school as an Officer rather than a cadet. The primary difference is if you attend as a cadet you stay in the barracks with the enlisted personnel vs being able to go home at night and stay in your own quarters. Not sure how hard to get Airborne if you are not branching Infantry.

Jcleppe · Mar 9, 2012

Son went to Airborne the summer after his sophomore year, he said he didn't have any issues as far as treatment goes. He did stay in the barracks, got a chuckle he said at all the toys the new privates bought with their first check out of BCT. WestminstersDad is right, if you plan to branch infantry then you will most likely be able to get an Airborne slot after you branch. Infantry can be a hard branch to get, so if you would like to go to Airborne and get the opportunity, take it, you may not get the chance later.

There is one benefit about going to Airborne early. If you do branch Infantry and you go to Ranger School before you have gone to Airborne School, you will not be able to jump during Ranger School, if you go during ROTC then you are set and can participate in that portion of Ranger School. If you do not get a slot during ROTC try and go to Airborne before Ranger School so you can jump.

live4ever · Mar 14, 2012

We attended Jump Week and graduation at Benning. It was a wonderful experience. Any parent who can, i would highly recommend that you go. Also don't forget to visit the Infantry Museum -a must see! They also have a restaurant, "The Fife and Drum" where you can enjoy a great meal with your new graduate.

DJR · Mar 17, 2012

Airborne

I am a retired Army Warrant Officer. I attended both Airborne and Air Assault school. (Badge Hunter :smile:

).

I would attend Airborne School. It's easier to get Air Assault School later. Plus, you won't meet any SEALS at Air Assault School. :shake:

EDelahanty · Mar 19, 2012

Thanks for the responses. Cadet Delahanty selected Airborne.

Live4ever, I see you live near West Point, which we visited on a sort of busman's holiday last week. It was truly a worthwhile trip, though the primary goal (buy a pair of boots at the PX) was not achieved and we were disappointed not to see cadets on campus, it being vacation week.

The bus tour was instructive (self-guided tours are not permitted), and we were delighted by an impromptu organ recital in the chapel, as well as the opportunity to walk on the grounds. All the staff we encountered were gracious, particularly when Cadet Delahanty had to show his military ID to security guards in order for us to drive throug the campus.

I recommend reserving time to see the military museum adjacent to the visitor's building (also great for a glimpse into cadet life).

Although the PX has a surprisingly limited and expensive selection of boots, there was an abundance of reasonably priced beef jerky, which we utilized to sustain ourselves over the one hour trip to the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park.

scoutpilot · Mar 19, 2012

EDelahanty said:
Thanks for the responses. Cadet Delahanty selected Airborne.

Live4ever, I see you live near West Point, which we visited on a sort of busman's holiday last week. It was truly a worthwhile trip, though the primary goal (buy a pair of boots at the PX) was not achieved and we were disappointed not to see cadets on campus, it being vacation week.

The bus tour was instructive (self-guided tours are not permitted), and we were delighted by an impromptu organ recital in the chapel, as well as the opportunity to walk on the grounds. All the staff we encountered were gracious, particularly when Cadet Delahanty had to show his military ID to security guards in order for us to drive throug the campus.

I recommend reserving time to see the military museum adjacent to the visitor's building (also great for a glimpse into cadet life).

Although the PX has a surprisingly limited and expensive selection of boots, there was an abundance of reasonably priced beef jerky, which we utilized to sustain ourselves over the one hour trip to the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park.

That's because PX's don't sell boots in large quantities. Uniform items are purchased primarily at a Military Clothing Sales Store. AAFES does not stock large quantities of uniform items at the PX.

Marist College ROTC · Mar 22, 2012

EDelahanty said:
Thanks for the responses. Cadet Delahanty selected Airborne.

Live4ever, I see you live near West Point, which we visited on a sort of busman's holiday last week. It was truly a worthwhile trip, though the primary goal (buy a pair of boots at the PX) was not achieved and we were disappointed not to see cadets on campus, it being vacation week.

The bus tour was instructive (self-guided tours are not permitted), and we were delighted by an impromptu organ recital in the chapel, as well as the opportunity to walk on the grounds. All the staff we encountered were gracious, particularly when Cadet Delahanty had to show his military ID to security guards in order for us to drive throug the campus.

I recommend reserving time to see the military museum adjacent to the visitor's building (also great for a glimpse into cadet life).

Although the PX has a surprisingly limited and expensive selection of boots, there was an abundance of reasonably priced beef jerky, which we utilized to sustain ourselves over the one hour trip to the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park.

If you went to CIA you should have stopped at Marist College. You drove right past us !

EDelahanty · Mar 22, 2012

Marist College ROTC said:
If you went to CIA you should have stopped at Marist College. You drove right past us !

(Caution: unsolicited advertisement below)

As a matter of fact, as we drove by Marist's attractive campus overlooking the Hudson late Friday afternoon, I did mention your fine ROTC program to Cadet Delahanty.

He was impressed at learning of the battalion's training trip to Hawaii and the opportunities for high school students who are prospective cadets to stay overnight and experience the ROTC program.