Air Assault School
The Air Assault School is at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. The Air Assault School is an intense 10- to 14-day course designed to give leaders a basic understanding of Army helicopter missions. There is some classroom instruction, but it is mostly hands-on and performance-oriented. It is broken down into four phases: pathfinder operations phase, sling-load operations phase, rappelling phase and foot march phase. Air Assault School is designed to push you to your mental and physical limits.
Phase I — Combat Air Assault Operations
You will conduct various training evolutions, such as the obstacle course followed by a two-mile run. You will be trained and tested on aircraft hand and arm signals, Army helicopter characteristics and capabilities, and medical evacuation procedures. You will also conduct Physical Training (PT), a four-mile road march and a combat air assault operation.
Phase II — Sling-Load Operations
Phase II is the most difficult phase of Air Assault. You will be trained and tested on practical rigging and inspection of sling loads for Army helicopters, as well as on Pathfinder operations. Practical examinations will be based on inspecting various sling loads for discrepancies and participation in live sling-load operations.
Phase III — Rappelling
During the rappelling phase, you will be tested on tying the Swiss seat, ramp, tower, skid rappelling and fast-roping techniques. Before you know it, you will find yourself going out of an actual helicopter. The final test for Air Assault is the 12-mile road march with full combat gear.
Qualifications
A Cadet obtains a slot in Air Assault School by virtue of his/her performance during the school year. The Battalion usually receives zero or one slot per year. Only the most qualified and motivated Cadets will be selected to attend the course.
Minimum Entry Requirements
- Army Physical Fitness Test: Score of 260, with 80 points per event.
- Able to execute 10 pull-ups to standard.
- Complete an Army physical within 18 months of class start date that clears cadet for Airborne training
Airborne School
The U.S. Army Airborne School is located at the U.S. Army Infantry Center in Fort Benning, Georgia. The course is designed to train soldiers to become paratroopers. It develops the student's confidence through repetitious training so that the student can overcome the natural fear of jumping from an airplane. The course is also designed to develop and maintain the high level of physical fitness required of a paratrooper by rigorous and progressive physical training. Airborne School is only for the most highly motivated cadets.
Phase I — Ground Week
The week of 1,000 falls! You will learn how to properly exit an aircraft and perform a Parachute Landing Fall (PLF). This week will introduce you to the Lateral Drift Apparatus and the 34-foot tower.
Phase II — Tower Week
During Tower Week, you will conduct training on the 34-foot tower to develop your skills in exits and deploying your reserve chute, as well as the Swing Landing Trainer to hone your PLFs. You may also experience the 250-foot tower. This is the closest thing to jumping out of an airplane possible.
Phase III — Jump Week
This is it! You've been training for three weeks. Are you ready? You will perform five jumps this week: three "Hollywoods" (no gear), one night jump and one day jump, both with full gear.
Qualifications
A cadet obtains a slot in Airborne School by virtue of his/her performance during the school year. The battalion usually receives eight to 10 slots per year. Only the most qualified and motivated cadets will be selected to attend the course.
Minimum Entry Requirements
- Army Physical Fitness Test: Score of 260, with 80 points per event.
- Able to execute 10 pullups to standard.
- Complete an Army physical within 18 months of class start date that clears cadet for Airborne training.
Northern Warfare
Northern Warfare School is taught during the summer at the Northern Warfare Training Center in Fort Greely, Alaska. The course is designed to familiarize selected cadets with the skills required for movement in mountainous terrain and cold regions. Emphasis is on basic military mountaineering skills and river operations on the inland waterways.
Qualifications
A cadet obtains a slot in Northern Warfare School by virtue of his/her performance during the school year. The battalion usually receives zero to one slot per year. Only the most qualified and motivated cadets will be selected to attend the course.
Minimum Entry Requirements
- Army Physical Fitness Test: Score of 260, with 80 points per event
- Complete an Army physical within 18 months of class start date that clears cadet for Airborne training
Mountain Warfare
This two-week course in Jericho, Vermont, is designed to develop and train for the leadership and technical skills needed by Army personnel to perform mountaineering tasks in a realistic mountain environment. It provides students with the practical, hands-on experience in the application of tactics and techniques effective for mountain operations.
Combat Diver Qualification Course
The Special Forces Underwater Operations Combat Diver Course at United States Naval Air Station, Trumbo Point Annex, in Key West, Florida, is one of the tougher schools offered by the Army. If you make it through the OL-H, it is not too difficult physically, but you still have to learn dive tables, physiology, tides, waves and currents, CPR and submarine lock-in/out.