Royal Lao Airborne School

Full Metal Bulldog

Full Metal Bulldog

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Yesterday it was announced that due to budget cuts, we only get 9 school slots this year (includes Airborne, Air Assault, and Mountain Warfare). I'm not as furious as most are because of this, as I'm more concerned with getting a 4.0 this semester than continuing to wake up at 5 am 5 days a week for an hour+ long smoke session, but several folks are pretty pissed about this.
Now, to the point, the Royal Lao Airborne school as been popular among Naval and Air Force cadets for a while. It's fairly easy to get into, just expensive. Has anyone heard of this organization before? Alot of folks question its legitimacy but it's definitely getting alot of cadet money starting now. For those who don't know, it's a jump school operated in Anderson, SC supposedly by the exiled Royal Laotian military. Is it legit? Worth the $650+ dollars? Anyone familiar with this?
 
Full Metal Bulldog said:
Yesterday it was announced that due to budget cuts, we only get 9 school slots this year (includes Airborne, Air Assault, and Mountain Warfare). I'm not as furious as most are because of this, as I'm more concerned with getting a 4.0 this semester than continuing to wake up at 5 am 5 days a week for an hour+ long smoke session, but several folks are pretty pissed about this.
Now, to the point, the Royal Lao Airborne school as been popular among Naval and Air Force cadets for a while. It's fairly easy to get into, just expensive. Has anyone heard of this organization before? Alot of folks question its legitimacy but it's definitely getting alot of cadet money starting now. For those who don't know, it's a jump school operated in Anderson, SC supposedly by the exiled Royal Laotian military. Is it legit? Worth the $650+ dollars? Anyone familiar with this?
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Years later, it seems like they are still operating. I too have taken an interest. Seems like a Citadel Cadet earned Royal Lao jump wings from them. They say that they’ll provide the necessary papers and both the Australian and Royal Lao jump wings they offer are authorized for wear. Whether we can is a different story.

It also seems like retired Army Capt. James Van Thach endorses them and plenty of veterans work with them.

It costs $150 for a training deposit, and $100 for each jump. So to be jump qualified by American standards if you don’t have your American jump wings, it is $650. It is $100 apiece for Lao and Australian wings because you only need one jump for each.
 
Royal Lao Airborne School. You have to be kidding me. I do have some Kip that I can sell you that I got along the Mekong. They couldn't even take out the Pahet Lao. Flying Tigers Sport Parachuting Center. Give me a break. Flying Tigers were in China, and I actually served with a Sgt that served with them. Jump away if you must but I don't think those Jump Wings Qualify. It is a Sport Parachuting Center. Give you a hint? Wow you get a Challenge Coin .
 
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Believe it or not they're listed in AR600-8-22 Foreign Award Extract Appendix D, Foreign Badges:
Appendix D (as of 16 Apr 2020)
Foreign Badges

Appendix D -- Table D–1
Foreign badges – approved additions
Country Badge Notes
Laos Laotian Parachute Badge
 
They Make Fruit Salad for Everything, but Laos? We bombed the hell out of them forty years ago and now we get decorations. Maybe jump into Monaco. Still have that Kip at a discount. :cool:
 
AF6872 said:
Royal Lao Airborne School. You have to be kidding me. I do have some Kip that I can sell you that I got along the Mekong. They couldn't even take out the Pahet Lao. Flying Tigers Sport Parachuting Center. Give me a break. Flying Tigers were in China, and I actually served with a Sgt that served with them. Jump away if you must but I don't think those Jump Wings Qualify. It is a Sport Parachuting Center. Give you a hint? Wow you get a Challenge Coin .
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I do believe it that the Royal Lao Airborne simply chose that center and area because it was within their means and that the name is not supposed to indicate anything. The Royal Lao Airborne were the crack troops that had to carry the fight on the ground in the Laos theater, often being forced to fight against overwhelming odds with limited support.

I suppose the badge authorization is to honor the memory of our allies and serve as a physical reminder of the value of cooperation. One could say the same about the Republic of Vietnam’s badge.
 
Yeah! but I never had to buy one of my ribbons or awards RVN was on our side Sihanouk not so much. By the way I earned that RVN medal not a badge and I didn't buy it for jumping out of a small plane. Small rows but it is mine and proud of it.
 

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AF6872 said:
Yeah! but I never had to buy one of my ribbons or awards RVN was on our side Sihanouk not so much. By the way I earned that RVN medal not a badge and I didn't buy it for jumping out of a small plane. Small rows but it is mine and proud of it.
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Point taken. I was referring to the RVN’s airborne wings but the same applies. Given that the RLA now functions as a humanitarian organization, to me, it is somewhat a donation to a good cause.

Thank you for your efforts in Vietnam. My existence and position today are a result of the brave men and women who contributed to the fight against Communism, such as yourself.
 
Bunch of fat guys in camo who have never seen the Karst or the Mekong and a patch from a country that hasn't existed for 47 years. Loved the video of the 35th Mountain playing Scotland The Brave. Didn't know they had bagpipes in Laos.
 
Thank you. I chortled several times reading this thread. :)
 
Here is another one for this thread.
 

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It was called "The Secret War " look it up. Yeah, I was never there. Commanders Call and videos of last moments of trucks on the Ho Chi Minh Trail were a big highlight.
 
Camo was never issued at that time, Still some fat men trying to be heroes. We weren't heroes we were just doing our job.
 
Don't call me sir I was a Seargent and worked for a living. Look the reference up.:biggrin:
 
In 1974 was deployed for six months from the 1st Special Forces Group in Okinawa to Project 404 in Lang Tieng, Laos to work with Hmong Major General Vang Pao and the Hmong tribesmen. While in Laos I participated in parachute jumps and "earned" the Laos Parachute Badge. I also have official Department of the Army orders authorizing its wear on my military uniform. The "Royal Lao Airborne School" is correct, it is a foreign badge authorized for wear on military uniforms... However, I doubt that anybody could get official DA orders for wear of a foreign award received by paying for the award earned in the US. Even so, to wear it would be similar to "Stolen Honor" or "Trying to be a Wannabe". My Laos award is from the Kingdom of Laos and signed "for the Minister of National Defense", by Major Thai, Commander Airborne Infantry Corps. My DA authorization to accept and wear the Laotian Parachutist Badge is by Order of the Secretary of the Army and signed by the Chief, Policy Section, Military Awards Branch. US Army Special Forces Special Operator & First Sergeant Dean McBride
 
flieger83 said:
Believe it or not they're listed in AR600-8-22 Foreign Award Extract Appendix D, Foreign Badges:
Appendix D (as of 16 Apr 2020)
Foreign Badges

Appendix D -- Table D–1
Foreign badges – approved additions
Country Badge Notes
Laos Laotian Parachute Badge
Click to expand...
In 1974 was deployed for six months from the 1st Special Forces Group in Okinawa to Project 404 in Lang Tieng, Laos. While in Laos I participated in parachute jumps and "earned" the Laos Parachute Badge. I also have official Department of the Army orders authorizing its wear on my military uniform.
You and the "Royal Lao Airborne School" are correct, it is a foreign badge authorized in AR600-8-22 for wear on military uniforms... However, I doubt that anybody could get official DA orders for wear of a foreign award received by paying for the award earned in the US. Even so, to wear it would be similar to "Stolen Honor" or "Trying to be a Wannabe".
My Laos Parachute Badge as awarded by the Kingdom of Laos and signed "for the Minister of National Defense", by Major Thai, Commander Airborne Infantry Corps. My DA authorization to accept and wear the Laotian Parachutist Badge is by Order of the Secretary of the Army and signed by the Chief, Policy Section, Military Awards Branch.
US Army Special Forces Special Operator & First Sergeant Dean McBride
 
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