<p>How difficult is it for a mid to attend airborne training over the summer?</p>
<p>I spoke to a recent graduate of USNA and he told me only an extremely small portion of mids (I might remember him only saying 5 guys?) actually get to attend this training. Anyone please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.</p>
<p>In the "good old days," it was rather easy if you completed the pre-training program (early morning workouts and the like) and were willing to give up your leave time to participate (as it was in addition to, not in place of, your other summer commitments). But, times have changed, budgets have been impacted, and thus I don't know how easy/difficult it is to do today. Need a current or recent mid to weigh in.</p>
<p>Waaaay more than 5 get this. I'm not sure of the exact number but there is airborne and air assault. I see quite a few people walking around with the pins and I know a couple of plebes going this summer.
I'm pretty sure it's a training block now and not liberty. They should do that more often.</p>
<p>aren't airborne and air assault Army?</p>
<p>Mids get jump wings one of two ways:
1) Go to USAFA on exchange and complete their jump program (5 free fall jumps). This is the more "civilian" way of getting jump wings.
2) Go to Fort Benning and jump with the Army. This is a summer training block that can be earned by either performing well on a screener held earlier in the year or by exchanging to West Point and working through their summer training office in the spring. Since it is a specialized Army school, there are a limited number of slots open to mids and those slots can fluctuate quite a bit until the day the class opens.
3) Air assault wings are acquired through a separate Army school, as well, and those slots are also determined by a (different) screener held about the same time as the airborne screener.
4) Dive school, for the record, is a Navy school and those billets are also very selective. Mids who complete the school earn their Navy scuba diver pin.
-The common thread of all these screeners is physical ability. As a general rule, to be competitive in these screeners mids generally score a 95% or better on the PRT.</p>
<p>My Mid took a screener for Jump School back in Feb. He just found out 2 weeks ago that it will be one of his summer training blocks. Note of caution - he shared with us if there is someone from the Army how wants to go - he will have to give up his slot.</p>