#airassaultschool

Army ROTC cadet Jacob Coombe, a criminal justice major, completed Air Assault School this summer at Fort Campbell, Ky. — an intense 10-day training course preparing soldiers for insertion, evacuation, and pathfinder missions that call for the use of multipurpose transportation and assault helicopters. 

Air assault training focuses on the mastery of rappelling techniques and sling load procedures, skills that involve intense concentration and a commitment to safety and preparation. Coombe was among 39 soldiers to graduate out of the 80 original incoming class.

“(The first day) we conducted the obstacle course and our equipment layout,” Coombe said. “This was where we lost the majority of students, who failed the obstacle course by either failing a mandatory obstacle or receiving two no-gos on a minor obstacle. After that all obstacles became mandatory, and you could not fail any mandatory obstacle.”

As the school progressed into Phase 1 training, Coombe said the training started to really focused on attention to detail and memorization in the classroom.

“We conducted aeromedical evacuation training and hand-and-arm signals to direct aircraft,” Coombe said. “We also had to memorize characteristics of various aircraft and the operations they conducted.”

Phase 2 training ushered in a new level of attention to detail, according to Coombe.

“We first studied combat assault, air assault, and pathfinder operations,” Coombe said. “We then conducted our NAP of the Earth orientation flights in the UH-60A BlackHawk Helicopter. NAP stands for near as possible, and we followed the contour of the Earth's terrain. The biggest part of Phase 2 was Sling Load operations.”

There, Coombe said they learned how to prepare, rig, and inspect external sling loads onto aircraft.

“We needed to learn the rated capacity of all sling load equipment, what equipment went with each different load, the rated capacity of the aircraft picking up the load, and inspect the load for any deficiency to ensure the load would fly safely,” Coombe said.

Once in Phase 3, training shifted to rappelling and fast roping.

“We first learned how to tie a Swiss rappel seat,” Coombe said. “It was a requirement to complete this in 90 seconds or less. We then conducted three mandatory rappels. A normal rappel with three mandatory brakes, a combat rappel with an assault pack, body armor, ACH, and a weapon, and finally a Hollywood rappel. We then conducted fast roping for the remainder of Phase 3.”

According to Coombe, other requirements for completing Air Assault School included:

a six-mile foot march in 1 hour and 30 minutes or less

a two-mile run in ACU trousers.

at each formation instructors would randomly choose three to five items to inspect, if you did not have an item you were dropped from the course.

after every foot march you did an inspection, and you had to have every item on the packing list or else you were a drop from the course.

if you received more than 40 points on your layout or during the time you were there you were a drop from the course.

achieving a 70 percent or higher on all tests and receiving a go on all four sling load inspections

completion of all rappels and fast rope tests