An Object in Motion...

So yesterday was my first successful exit from an aircraft while in flight. How did it go you ask? Well it was a blast. I jumped out after only waiting for about 5 hours in a harness and spent 45 seconds in the air. In that 45 seconds I fell a total of 1250 feet to land safely back on the earth. I landed very softly and had a great first time experience. I then got back to my bed at about 12 midnight and got up at 3:45 am. Hence the lack of update the day I actually jumped. We only made the one jump due to a wind issue and they lost a guy in some trees and had to spend 4 hours searching for him. So today we did 2 more jumps. One was with combat equipment and one was without. Both were Hollywood jumps meaning 15 people out each side of the aircraft at the same time. The first jump was good in that I didn't get close to anyone and hit a soft spot, but I hit much harder than the day before. My second jump was with a ruck (big backpack) and weapon. This jump was much more chaotic. 2 people got stuck together and had to land together. 2 people colided with each other but recovered and landed fine. 1 person broke a leg. And I hit harder than both times before combined. I had steered to avoid some marshy ground and then prepared to land. I let down my gear on its extension line and I was coming in backwards... fast. I got my feet and knees together, eyes on the horizon, held my slip and waited for the inevitable. I smashed into the ground with about a 2 story building drop force and fell properly, but it hurt like a ... bad. I realeased my chute and just laid there stunned and disoriented with what had just transpired. After a few seconds I tested my legs by lifting them and everything appeared to be fine. I got out of my harness and gathered all my gear and walked about a half mile to the rally point. Tonight I have a "mystery" bump on my wrist, my butt hurts and I'm still feeling like I'm swaying. We get to sleep in tomorrow so hopefully I can recover from this "fun" I had today.

Today's Lesson:

An object in motion remains in motion until great pain has brought it to a hault

A "Jump" ... To Conclusions Mat

Well it has been almost a week since I updated what I have been doing. It has been a pretty busy week and I have been "lazy" again this weekend to recover from the "fun" that we have been having here. After I got rid of my headache from the swing landing trainer we came back to it the next day to finish some people that hadn't completed it yet. I had the "opportunity" to observe and hook people into the harness before getting headaches to call their very own. On Wednesday I was one of only about 110 students that got to be dropped from the 250' tower. Now some may be saying that would be freaky, but I assure you it was a blast. I was thinking and it was like being paid to ride on the biggest ride at the fair. Except this ride didn't keep you attached to anything. Don't worry I didn't get hurt and it was no worse than jumping off a 3 story building (joke).
The next day we moved to learning how to mass exit an aircraft with and without full ruck sack and weapon. This was not what you would call fun, more so uncomfortable than anything else. Somehow walking up 4 flights of stairs with a 35 pount backpack strapped to your front side didn't feel normal. Also jumping with the added weight in that region wasn't all that comforting either. After this we got off early and all we had to do on friday was attend a safety briefing about things you never want to happen to you and rig our gear for our night jump on wednesdy we will do with full gear.
So if all the weather holds out and stays nice, warm and not windy we will jump twice on monday, twice on tuesday and jump at night on wednesday. Then we will graduate on friday unless some jumps get delayed. We have to complete 5 qualifying jumps to graduate so it all depends on the weather for graduation to go as scheduled. Am I nervous? Nah it is only 1250' to the ground and it only takes about 45 seconds to get there. So if I'm scared it won't be for very long anyway. Feet and knees together, eyes on horizon, pull risers to name tape level and pull off a dynamite PLF. I will be fine... trust me.



The guy made a million dollars (I had to finish it)

So today started a new week of training for me here at Airborne School. The first picture here is of the suspended harness. It is a training device that teaches you what it will be like to control the direction of your parachute while in the air and landing. It was quick and painless and gave no clues as to what we would encounter next.
This picture is the Swing Landing Trainer or SLT. It looks harmless enough in the picture, but what you don't know is that the platform is 12 feet high and at the other end of your cable is a rope controlled by the instructor. it is much like a kids swing in the park that you can strap into. The only difference is that at any moment the person pushing you can cut the cables and send you hurdling toward the ground from any height that they so desire. I had my go at it about 10-12 times this afternoon and speaking from experience they should not call it the SLT. They should call it the SYITGAGYAH. aka... "smash you into the ground and give you a headache". My neck feels like mush tonight and I can tell I will be sore soon. Luckily that is said to be the most painful part of Airborne School and I am done with it.

Lazy Sunday!

As much as Airborne school is tiring I love the fact that friday afternoon I'm done for the week. I didn't realize how much a weekend can actually recharge a person until I joined the Army. All through Basic we worked no matter what the day and going to church was close to the only break that you really got from the constant moving. What you ask do I do with my weekend? Well, not much of anything. And after this week I don't feel bad at all. I have officially caught up on Lost, Heroes and The Office and watched 2 movies "Employee of the month" and "Simpler than Fiction". Neither movie was a blockbuster by any means but had their funny moments. I also saw 300 on friday night and that was a good movie if I do say so. Not for the young though, nor the weak of stomach.
I have also been doing some thinking about what I was doing a year ago and realized that it was about a year ago that we went to Alaska. As you can see from the picture a lot has changed since then. I would have never thought I would be on the opposite side of the country if you had asked me then. Especially getting ready to graduate Airborne School. Crazy what a difference 365 days can make. I went from 236 lbs down to 166 lbs back up to about 187 now. Don't think I'm getting fat, because though I have gained weight my pants keep fitting more loose for some reason. I just wanted to clarify so those that were in our competition wouldn't accuse me of letting myself go. Although I don't eat what you may call a low fat diet the amount of physical exersion I'm expected to have still affords me the ability to lose body fat. I do however recognize before anyone points it out that when my level of activity decreases I must lower my intake ever so slightly.
So in just a year I have gone from civilian to soldier, father of 1 to almost father of 2, West coast to east coast (for the time being), Fat to fit and in 2 weeks ground thumper to airborne. What a journey it has been and what a journey it is going to be. I wonder what the next 365 days will bring? On second thought I wonder what the next 45 days will bring. Maybe a year from now on another Lazy Sunday I will find myself reflecting once more.

2 no 6 no 12 ... Bakers Dozen!

Airborne School Has Its Ups and Downs

Mostly downs if you caught the pun. It is very physically demanding and this is only the end of my second day here. the first day we did mock door training. Which is just a very loose mock-up of a plane and you learn the basics of exiting the door of the aircraft. What is most tiring is that you are not allowed to walk anywhere. Which means leaving from the dining facility you must run on a full stomach back to the bay. Don't get me wrong I'm not complaining I'm just giving you a feel for what I'm going through. We also run to all the training areas in boots and combat helmet.

Today we jumped from the 34 foot tower. So much fun. Here is a picture and more updates are to come.

Basic is Done... Basically

Well if you haven’t heard or the title didn’t give it away I’m done with Basic training now. I graduated on the 16th of February and am happy to be done with it. I was scheduled to go straight to Airborne school, but the Army thought they should divert me to another school. So as I type I’m half way through Javalin school.
The Javalin is a man portable shoulder fired, fire and forget missile. Basically you look through a screen, lock onto targets that are moving or stationary up to 2500 meters (by the book, but SF has hit things at over 4200 meters). The class sounds fun but is pretty boring. We get nights off though and weekends too with the exception of this weekend because we had to help with a concert that was put on for basic training privates on base. We worked from 8 am until 11 pm last night. Needless to say I’m tired today and got to sleep in until 6. Although being graduated from basic and now actually being a specialist I had some fun yelling at privates and telling them what to do. So that was fun. I put up with it for 14 weeks so it was nice to be the one in charge for once.
read more on the Javelin Missile here
This last weekend was just what I had been waiting for. Most of my family was able to make it out to the great metropolis of Columbus Georgia. Josh, Krista, Dad, Mom, Haley, Seven, Michael and then Jessica flew in from india. You will notice Jules and Matt didn’t show up. That is because they hate me... No I’m just kidding. I love you guys and understand not wanting to come to Ft Benning. Believe me, I understand.
So what next? Glad you asked. I head to Airborne school on Friday March 2nd and will be there for 3 weeks. Then I head to RIP (Ranger indoctrination). If all goes well I should be out of here soon and back with my family moving to our new home.
As you now may have guessed I have my computer with me so you can email me. I also have my phone if you wish to call or text do so freely, but I can’t always answer due to training and what not. I would say drop me a comment, but I’m in the process of fixing that so if it is there do so, if not call or email me.

Here are some pictures of my graduation and family

Time Flies When Drill Sergeants Are waiting For you.

Well it seems like just yesterday I was leaving to start this wonderful journey, and here I am back again and leaving again. I was blessed to have just over 2 weeks to come home and relax with friends and family for the holidays. I personally think that they were crazy to let a bunch of guys that just started to shape up go home and get lazy again, but I didn’t argue with the chance to come home and see my family. If I didn’t call or text you it isn’t because I hate you at all, in fact I spent most of my time with my wife, son and family (since Haley lives in their house right now). You would think 2 weeks is a lot of time but I’m here to tell you that it really isn’t. So please don’t be offended if you didn’t see or hear much from me.
Tonight I get on a plane at 11:15 bound for Chicago and then on to Atlanta. There I will catch a bus to Fort Benning and I’m sure be greeted with loving arms by everyone. I will graduate from OSUT (Basic and AIT) on the 16th of February and then I’m on to jump out of good airplanes for a few weeks. My family is planning at this point to attend so it is comforting knowing that I will get to see them again in 6 weeks or so. Time flies in Georgia so it will feel like no time at all.
Besides leaving family and the comforts of home... like sleep and not being yelled at for talking at dinner... I’m really looking forward to getting back and continuing my training. It has been a challenge at times, but I love it. I like that I’m learning new limits that I didn’t know I could reach and the constant physical demands that I’m forced to accomplish when on my own I would think I couldn’t complete.
Thanks to all that I was able to see for the fun times (Jon we have to play more Halo when I get back). Theater Surfing is also fun if you wondered. It is possible to finish a whole rack of ribs at Roadhouse with Garlic Mashers, 3 rolls and peanuts and not feel stuffed. 18 month year olds do not have the ability to sit through all of “Cars”. The sun comes out a lot more at Fort Benning than Aumsville. A&W still has the best bacon cheeseburger and Peanut Butter M&M’s are awesome.

Seacrest Out