Question for Army Folks

who doesn't want a hooah badge?

 

I would do anything to goto jump school...

 

Keeps the world in check knowing we can park a division on their front lawn in 24 hours.

Eliminates that whole "It'll take the Americans two weeks to sail over here and another week to get inland to our capital" thing.

 

I like the way you put that.

 

I wonder how many Marine read through this and just bite their lip and move on...

 

I understand where the op is coming from but it can be said about ALL forces and most special pays.

I got FLPP pay for a language I have never and will never use. Its military tradition.

I would never consider jump pay to be in one of those irrevelant ones.

 

I got a friend from highschool.. that just got back from Iraq, he is here at Ft Bragg.. and I saw him this week he was coming out to renew his Jump qual.. and I wanted to mess with him so i told him that we need to bump a few guys off of his flight and I can pick him if he wants to go home and he wont have to worry about jumpin he can just go home and chill..and he said.. Fuck that if I dont jump today I lose my jump pay and then i cant go to the bar this weekend..


That is why i question the reason for jump pay. plain and simple

 

If it were up to me, ALL soldiers would be making more than they're making now, ESPECIALLY combat arms...as a former grunt, of course I'm partial toward those that are taking lead up close...what soldiers do w/ their meager dollars is up to them; I'm sure they're counseled to some degree by their superiors as where to go/not go, send $ home, etc...been a common practice for many years...I'd rather see a troopers' pay tripled, and slash the trash Washington pays out for folks that suck us dry staying at home collecting $ watching soaps and having a bay-bay hanging off each teat and another one in the oven...tell your friend thanks, he deserves every penny, but him breakfast/lunch and dinner...NOW!

 

Ever been on a Marine base? J Army house is pretty dope compared to 3+ per room sharing the head with the 3+ Leathernecks next door.

Agreed… Why do O-6’s need more flight hours? (so they remain qualified and get the extra $$)

Why do we need extra F-15’s?
Two things come to mind for me:
1) So the O-6’s can get flight hours... (*tongue in cheek*)
2) because there are larger forces out there that still pose a viable threat.

 

My barracks back at Bragg suxor'd. Probably rebuilt by now but back in late 80's and early 90's they were nothing to write home about and 3 per room.

Now if you're talking Air Force digs, those were nice!

 

Here is 2 cents of info. I think I could be wrong but in the last t 2-3 years I think a company did a combat jump in Iraq. I know they are doing Air Assault training missions with the Iraqis. Personally, I rather be shooting my Howitzer, either self propelled or towed doesn't matter.

 

I've spent the last year and change watching them get torn down and rebuilt. The news ones look pretty damn nice.

As far as jump injuries go, you'd be surprised. It's a pretty low percentage compared to the sick call patient load. I would know.

Your argument actually sounds like some of the justification for converting 101st to an air assault unit. Why does the Army need 82nd, 173rd, and 101st? Especially with 82 and 101 a few hours drive apart. 173rd covers down on that side of the planet, 82nd holds it down over here. Meanwhile, in peace time the United States retains the ability to drop a fully trained, armed, and combat ready BCT anywhere in the world within 24 hours with the rest of the division shortly behind. The global response force mission doesn't apply to the entire division. But they can sure as shit get their bags packed in a hurry.

Think about the folks you're talking to over at green ramp. None of them have combat jumps, they've been sitting in a harness for hours, and they haven't been given an operational jump mission to prepare for. What the hell else is their motivation if not jump pay in that situation? They're going to jump out an airplane whenever their told out of the goodness of their hearts? Now roll across post and ask those guys why they jump. Chances are the answer will be something like "Sometimes you can't kick in the front door and you have to come down the chimney." Either they really like Santa or the real world advantages of different infiltration techniques weighs heavier on their mind than $150/mo.

 

Kudo's to you lexor for telling us how it really is. I've been the army military for 33 years and as far as jumping from a perfectly good airplane....well let's say I go with what I heard an old jump master once say..."I've jumped once -- and got thrown out the other 44 times!"

 

But what they dont mention is that it was a secured DZ. Already

The Army is now conducting jumps with the Iraqi Army to help be able to jump inot places if they need be. It helps them feel united and also a part of a team working with the US forces.

 

And it keeps them from having to do airborne refresher training across the entire brigade when they get back

 

And? What's your point? Those guys left their homes and families behind, loaded onto C17s, jumped into the unknown in the black of night with over 100 lbs of gear strapped to them and spent the next 12 months deployed in a combat zone.
$150 a month is a small price to pay for soldiers with the expertise and willingness to do this job.

 

A couple guys already mentioned that the 173rd jumped into northern Iraq at the beginning of the war. But besides that, I believe there have been a couple times when Battalion sized elements have made combat jumps in Afghanistan. The idea of the military giving up the ability to put troops anywhere in the world in an extremely short period of time sounds like a really bad idea. It would be the same as grounding all the F-15s just because there isn't an immediate threat of an air combat situation.

 

well said!

 

Having been a Marine in my past life....(LOL) I don't think it really bothers them. As an Army guy when I first came in I always thought the Marines should all be airborne qualified as they are the shock troops. I haven't seen them deployed to many times in the way and mission in which they have been trained (shock troops). But the army has its traditions and sometimes I think it change is a bridge to far...plus the money the army would lose...