The hardest three weeks in my life had to have been goingthrough Jump School. Jumping out of planes always sounded like a good time. Inever really thought I’d get the chance to do it. Jump School was known as oneof 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 aphysical challenge. Everywhere I went I had to be running. If I was standing, inline for chow, I had to be running in place. In between the running, they filled theday with tumbling and rolling, to practice my falls, in saw dust pits. Being Augustand very hot ,the saw dust stuck to me like breading. I had saw dust coming outof my ears by the time it was over. This doesn’t sound like it’s to hard but trydoing it over and over again, my falls had to be perfect.
Once the weekendcame around again, I was ready for the rest The second week, or “Tower Week”, was more of a mentalchallenge. I thought the running part was over ,but unfortunately the runs gotlonger. The first tower was the Five Foot Tower. From this tower I jumped to theground and rolled away .The next tower was Fifty Foot Tower, a challenge just tolook over the edge. I was hooked to a parachute harness, that attached to acable. 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, wheresomeone stopped me. The final tower stood two hundred feet tall. Standing atthe 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 falltwo hundred feet in a parachute. After getting comfortable with this I was readyfor the next week.
“Jump Week”, is the final week of training. I was so excitedto finally get to jump out of an air plane. During this week I had to make fivejumps to pass the course. The first jump was the easiest for me, I was so scaredI didn’t have time to think about what I was doing. Before I knew it I was floatingabove the ground at about a thousand feet. It was such an emotionalexperience, 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 anywaymakes it worth it. The last four jumps of the week went great, I was still in onepiece.
Graduation was on the next Monday. I felt so proud to havemade it through and to be getting my “Airborne” wings. Being Airborne in theArmy sets you apart from everyone else. Having the Airborne wings ment youpushed your self to that extra mile. When the General pinned the wings on mychest I think I had a tear in my eye. Once the ceremony was over, I sat in myroom 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 mentalcapabilities. After finishing Jump School I can sit back and say it was one of thehardest three weeks of my life. It taught me you have to work at the things youwant no matter how hard it seems to be, it makes attainment that much better inthe long run.
