Question for Army Folks

What is the reason for Army personal to be jump qualified?

I spoke with a SGM and a Captain the other day and they said the Army hasnt jumped in a real world situation since Vietnam (Other than some minor Spec Ops type stuff)..

Which leads me to wonder, what is the point other than to pay several Thousand Troops a couple hundred bucks a month to risk gettin hurt. (Had a guy shatter his pelvis last week)

 

Also, I can undersan the Calvaery and Infintry guys for just incase situations.. but why do the dental and finanice troops need it ... seriously

 

As far as support personnel being "Airborne" qualified, alot of times solider just want their jump wings, most Divisions want 85% or higher personnel to be jump qualified.

 

I understand that.. but why.. whats the reason? .. is it just bc of the Tradition of the Airborne

 

I'm not going to say that this is the correct reason, but I would think it's just to be ready for anything. Look at the history of snipers. They would start up a school during wartime, the snipers would be a valuable asset, then the war ends and the end the training. We did that for every major war up until after Vietnam. Just my shot in the dark at the reasoning though.

 

I just think that it would save the Government lots of money if they cut the numbers back alot to only the careers that would actually need it. Think about it if they pay every jump qualified person $200 a montha nd there is apprx 15k of them on Ft. Bragg alone that is $3 Mil right there.. then add the cost of parachutes, fuel and bringing in Air Craft to do the jump training... Atleast another $1 Mil... then the cost for medical care each time one of them gets hurt, and Disiabilty paid after they get out of the service..

 

-The 173rd jumped into Iraq at the start of the war.

-A standby airborne brigade can be boots on the ground in 24 hours anywhere in the world. Kinda handy if you have a situation that needs to be handled ASAP. And a brigade needs its cooks, intel guys, ect, ect, to function over extended periods

-also airborne school weeds some of the sh*tbags. 3 more weeks of voluntary training that requires a little extra proficiency/guts

-its also a retention/enlistment tool. If you offer a guy airborne school and he signs for 4 more years, you've actually saved quite a bit of money

 

That is news to me, bc the Major I talked to said the Army hasnt jumped into a combat situation since the late 70s early 80s.. anythig they do know if non-combat areas...

All i am saying is eliminating the Airbourne qualified pay and all the thigs that go with it would save the Gov. $10 Mil a month at the least

 

It adds flexibility to the force. Remember we are an insurance policy....I could help you on some other savings in areas that a lot of folks don't know about but I feel this one is worth the cost.

 

"On March 26, 2003, 954 soldiers of the 173rd Airborne Brigade, commanded by Colonel William C. Mayville, conducted a combat jump from C-130[62] and C-17 aircraft[57] onto Bashur Airfield in Northern Iraq,[1][63] in an assault known as Operation Northern Delay."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/173rd_Airborne_Brigade_Combat_Team#Operation_Iraqi_Freedom

That drop into northern Iraq allowed us to attack on 2 fronts.

-jump pay is basically hazard pay. The more risk, the more pay.

 

I just think that 10-15 Thousand people being jump qualified is a little over kill at one base... its just alot of money that could go to build better houses and schools on the base.. the schools here look like prisons

 

"The force had been strung out over a 10,000 yard drop zone, and it took 15 hours before it was completely assembled.[65] The paratroopers secured the airfield, allowing the C-17s to land and bring in the heavy armor and the 1-63rd Armor contingents"

This basicly means they jumped into an uninhabited area... it wasnt like Vietnam or WWII where they were getting shot at in the process of jumping.... Yes it was a Combat jump but I mean it sounds more like the pratice jumps they do here. (im just sayin)

 

You can make this case for A LOT of situations in the military...

-Why do we need for O-6's and above to get more flight hours???
-Why do we have so many F-15's...Last time I checked "dog fights" weren't happening everyday...yes I know they do serve for other functions too

 

+1000000
Paratrooper and proud of it!

 

They captured an airfield, it was defended not uninhabited. That was the only way to get troops into northern iraq to open up another front. Did you even click the link?

It allowed them to bring the fight to the enemy.

"...the 173rd Airborne Brigade, along with the Special Forces detachment and the Kurdish forces, engaged and destroyed the 2nd, 4th, 8th and 38th Iraqi Infantry Divisions as well as a force loyal to Ansar al-Islam."

 

Didnt the 101st jump into baghdad international (after it was secured?) in 03? Also into Kurdistan around the same time? besides, They are all sordiers first, support second. My .02

 

The 101st doesn't jump anymore. We are air assault now. Kinda confusing

 

All very true.. I know when I was in Balad the F16s flew more for survailence and base defense

 

75th Bat also jumped in to Panama if I can remember correctly. I went to PLDC with a Ranger that had is mustard stane and that was in March of 03. He was in his early 20's.