Basic Airborne Course, also known as Jump School, is a three week course that trains Soldiers, Airmen, Marines, and Sailors to parachute out of aircrafts. Run by the United States Army, there is only one Airborne School in the country at Fort Benning, Georgia. This school teaches servicemen to use parachutes as a means of combat deployment, self-confidence, leadership, and an aggressive spirit through mental and physical conditioning.
The school is divided into three phases, one per week. Phase one is known as Ground Week and consists mainly of physical training. Servicemen go through and intensive training program of how to properly wear the T-10D and T-11 parachute and prepare to make five jumps. Training takes place on a mock door C-130 or C-17 aircraft. As well as learning how to jump, they practice parachute landing falls (PLF), which is a landing technique to ensure a safe landing. Drills take place on a 34 foot tower and on a lateral drift apparatus (LDA). Servicemen must successfully complete the tower, LDA, PLFs, and pass all physical training requirements in order to move on to phase two.
Phase two is Tower Week and focuses on the "mass exit" concept. Servicemen learn the proper technique to exit and aircraft and are given the proper flight instructions before a jump. Training on the 34 foot tower, servicemen train with all of their equipment on. The last two days of Tower Week are use for Swing Landing Trainer (SLT) and for practicing on the suspended harness. On the last day, servicemen will then be asked to attempt a drop from the 250 foot tower. Occasionally, the 250 foot tower is omitted because there is a growing number of injuries. In order to move on to Jump Week, servicemen must demonstrate a knowledge of all flight instructions, "mass exit" techniques, proper exits from the 34 foot tower, and be successful on the PLFs and SLTs.
Jump Week, the last week, is where servicemen make five parachute jumps into the Fryar Drop Zone located in Alabama. The first two jumps are called "hollywood" jumps where servicemen wear their parachute with no combat equipment. The last three jumps involve equipment such as a ruck sack and a dummy weapon. The last jump typically takes place at night.
Upon Completion of Airborne School, servicemen will receive the coveted "silver wings"
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