Airborne

finally passed my JMPI this third time through. On the needs PWAC roster for who knows how long.

 

Hey kid you do realize your precious airborne tabs denote the legacy of your division and not if you're airborne. I never kicked anyone out of my platoon when I was in 10th man for not going to mountain warfare school. 101st hasn't jumped in 45 years they have an airborne tab. The tab is part of the patch, the patch is representative of men before you who did great things. When you get one of the 4 tabs that sit on top of that airborne tab then you mean something. Until then you're just another junior enlisted dude who'll never jump into combat. But you'll walk like a dirty nasty leg.

 

Any other Riggers out there? I know I cant be the only red cap wandering this forum.

 

Go Pro

 

Welcome to TacomaWorld.

 

My Airborne career got off to a rocky start.

Jumped in March, the ground was frozen. My foot hit the edge of a frozen tire rut and sprained the ball of my foot on my second jump. I tried to hide it but Black Hats saw me limping and pulled me out. I had to wait two weeks to jump again. I did the full five jumps so graduated as a "seven jump chump".

Army screwed up my pay. I was there as I transitioned from Reserves to AD so hadn't been payed in two months. I was supposed to go to Ft. Bragg. At 1730 hrs the day of graduation I was handed orders to Germany....to fly out from Virgina on Sunday.

I asked my Black Hat how I get to VA. ITT closed at 1700. He said I damn well better buy a ticket and get reimbursed later. But...."I haven't been paid since I got here. I'm broke."

Went up the chain to an O-6, not sure who he was but it was a big ruckus. They withheld my orders, wasn't paid, wasn't supposed to go to Germany, blah blah blah. They had to keep me there another week and put me on Emergency Leave.

I get to Germany and a week later received a Counseling Statement personally signed by MG Joulwan, 3rd Armor Division commander for bypassing my chain-of-command, missing my flight (they claimed I was AWOL for not making it to VA), and "embarrassing" 3AD. WTF? WTF x 2?

My hand was shaking as a lowly PFC I wrote "Do not concur" on a statement signed by a General. "I was not a member of 3 AD when the Army withheld my orders, refused to provide travel arrangements, and refused to pay me". My PSG said there would be trouble for that last sentence but I never heard back from Division.

Two years later received orders to Ft. Drum. Damn. Screw it, I'll show up at Bragg reception a couple of days early to see if they'll change my orders. Not sure about now, but could do this back in the 80's-90's. Then orders got revoked and given orders to Arkansas of all places. Damn x 2. What the heck is in AR? They were TRADOC orders too, you can't show up somewhere else and have TRADOC orders changed, only FORSCOM orders. And they were to an Air Force base. Huh? I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I never heard of "JRTC".

Still confused, I make my way to LRAFB. I see maroon berets everywhere. Woo hoo! 1-509 PIR. We spent most of our time at Ft. Chaffee. It was an Infantry BN...I'm not Infantry. I'm a 19D. Fuck it. I'll take it. It's not Bragg but I'm jumping so I'm good to go.

JRTC moved to Ft. Polk after I left and transitioned to FORSCOM.

Long story I know.

 

Four tabs? What else sits above it besides Ranger and SF? Are there new tabs out there? Serious question, that's all there was when I ETS'd.

ETA: I remember a third but it wasn't related to any combat role. I forget the wording but was the DC Honor Guard I think, Tomb of the Unknown guards, kept the tab after two years if I recall correctly. Honorable assignment but not a combat specialty like Ranger or SF.

 

Some of you guys have probably crossed paths with my cousin. He started out USMC 1st Marine Div 3/1, then went Army. I'm not sure of all his commands, Rakkasans 2-187, 327 LRS, 101st PFDR, I think he was at Ranger school and now finishing up at ROTC somewhere before he retires. He was enlisted, now a Capt.

I can't even compete, I was a squid wrench turner lol. At least I did something though right?

 

Airborne!
Navy Paratrooper

 

Nice! What jobs in the Navy are on jump status? Im in the process of switching from Army to Navy as an officer and would love to stay on jump status if thats possible

 

Special Ops, Joint Comms

 

82nd Abn 88-92, 20th SFG 2007-2009

 

You're a 35L? I'm in the process of re-classing right now. I may need to speak with you

 

RIGGER! Im not in a rigger unit anymore, deployed right now. I miss being on jump status...

Did 5 years with the 421st QM (ADS)

 

President's Hundred
Special Forces
Ranger
Sapper

 

I've only seen the president's hundred tab a few times in 20 years, even in the shooting circles.

 

I saw my first President's Hundred tab yesterday, at Fort Lee. The least hooah of all forts, haha.

 

That's the one I couldn't remember. Only time I saw one was an E-6 in my class at Airborne School.

 

Air Assault

 

We had a guy in B Co 1/508, 3rd platoon who lost a testicle. Ex Ranger battalion guy, forgot his name.