Military Science

Military Schools

Airborne School 

Conducted at Fort Bening Georgia, Airborne training is physically demanding yet rewarding. This course is available to both men and women volunteers of all services and is three weeks in duration. During the first week, students are instructed in basic parachutist skills. Physical training is conducted daily and, although not numbingly hard, is designed to weed out the weak and toughen the body for the coming training. Students are taught how to wear the parachute harness and how to use special training apparatus. The mock door exercises allow the students to learn the jump commands from a Jumpmaster, as well as the proper method of exiting an aircraft. The parachute landing fall platform assists the student in developing the correct parachute landing techniques to prevent injury. The lateral drift apparatus develops the proper technique for executing a parachute landing fall, and the 34-foot tower exposes the student to the physical sensation of the actual jump. During this week students are also taught proper recovery from being drug along the ground. The second week of training is a learning reinforcement period with continued physical training and the addition of more apparatus such as the swing landing trainer, which teaches the student to deal with oscillation and landing falls. Avoiding obstacles and instruction on how to react to specific obstacles (water, trees, power lines, fellow jumpers) occurs during this week. Lucky students have the opportunity to jump from the 250-foot tower to get as close to an actual jump as possible. During jump week, the student makes five qualifying jumps from various military aircraft (normally Air Force C130s, C141s or C17 aircraft). The first jump is conducted "Hollywood" style. Fifteen jumpers exit the aircraft per pass and each jumper is given the individual command to exit. The second jump is conducted similarly; a combat load (rucksack, simulated weapon) is added to introduce the student to the standard jump load. The third jump is the first mass exit jump (thirty jumpers per pass). Your fourth jump will be a fully equipped mass exit. Upon completion of their fifth successful parachute jump, the students are awarded the basic parachutist badge and become airborne qualified.

Minimum Entry Requirements

  1. Complete the MS II year of ROTC.
  2. Pass the Army Physical Fitness Test with a minimum of 60 points in each event at the 17-21 year old age group.
  3. Demonstrate ability to execute the flexed arm hang for 10 seconds.
  4. Demonstrate ability to run continuous 4 miles at a 8.00 minutes per mile pace.
  5. Instructor nomination.
  6. Since attendance at Airborne school is both mentally and physically challenging, the PMS will assess each cadet's maturity level and overall physical fitness.
  7. Receive an approved Army Physical within 18 months of attendence.

 

Air Assault School 

US Army Air Assault School is a two-week (10 days) course of instruction conducted at several locations across the Army, including Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Fort Drum, NY; Camp Smith, USMA; and at overseas locations in Germany and Hawaii. In each case, the course of instruction is focused on Combat Assault Operations involving US Army rotary-wing aircraft. Our battalion usually receives only one or two slots to Air Assault School(s) each summer, which are open to both male and female cadets meeting the minimum requirements listed below. Zero Day: On Zero Day, you will report to the school no later than 4:30 am for in processing. At 5:45 pm the class moves to the obstacle course for the entrance examination. The exam begins with stretching exercises followed by a safety demonstration of the 9 station obstacle course. The class then lines up at the course start point and begins negotiating the course. You will double time between obstacles, sounding off with a loud and thunderous "Air Assault" every time your left foot strikes the ground. You must complete the first two obstacles and can only fail one of the remaining seven obstacles. However, the obstacle known infamously as "The Tough One" may not be failed. You will have two chances to complete each obstacle. Upon completion of the obstacle course, a 2-mile run in Army boots will be performed by all obstacle course survivors. The 2-mile formation run will be run at a 10 minute per mile pace. Those who complete the obstacle course and finish the 2-mile run in 20 minutes will be enrolled in the Air Assault School. Ten to fifteen percent of potential students do not make it past Zero Day, but don't let that discourage you. Air Assault Phase: You start training with an in-ranks inspection. The standards are high and no one gets cut any slack. If you don't meet the standards you will receive a spot report. Then it's off to physical training. You will do some form of PT everyday. After breakfast it's off to class. During the Air Assault Phase, you will become proficient in: air assault operations, pathfinder operations, hand and arm signals, aircraft familiarization, aircraft safety, and aeromedevac operations. Slingload Phase: During this phase, you will learn how to prepare loads for slingload. This equipment includes the M101A1 Howitzer, M998 HMMWV, 5000 lb. or 10000 lb. Cargo Nets, A-22 Cargo Bag, and Multi-Fuel Blivets. Everything must be committed to memory, such as the tensile strength of equipment used in slingload operations, lift capabilities of supporting aircraft, and rigging and inspection of prepared loads. Rappel Phase: In this final phase, you will receive instruction in basic rappelling. Initially, you will attend ground training which consists of tying a swiss seat and rappelling off the 12-foot incline ramp. After watching a demonstration, you will then begin advanced rappelling from the 50-foot tower wall side, both with and without equipment. Next you will rappel off the tower from the skid (open) side. The next day, you will rappel from Army helicopters hovering at 100 feet above the ground and you will love it.

Graduation Day
Each student puts on load bearing equipment, 30-pound rucksack, helmet, draws an M-16 rifle and moves to the starting point for the 12-mile road march. Exactly three hours later, approximately 90% of the students have crossed the finish line. The Air Assault Course is physically and mentally demanding. It requires a great deal of studying to pass the written tests and physical conditioning to pass the physical tests. If you have the stamina, intelligence and "gut it out attitude" you can become Air Assault qualified. If you rise to the occasion and successfully complete the Air Assault, Slingload, and Rappelling phases, and the 12-mile foot march, the distinctive right and honor to wear the Air Assault Badge will be yours.

Minimum Entry Requirements

  1. Complete the MS II year of ROTC.
  2. Pass the Army Physical Fitness Test with a minimum of 60 points in each event at the 17-21 year old age group.
  3. Complete a 12-mile roadmarch (20 lbs rucksack) in 3 hours.
  4. Demonstrate ability to climb a 16 ft rope.
  5. Instructor nomination.
  6. Since attendance at Airborne school is both mentally and physically challenging, the PMS will assess each cadet's maturity level and overall physical fitness.
  7. Receive an approved Army Physical within 18 months of attendence.



Northern Warfare School

Also known as the Basic Mountaineering Course, this school is taught at the Northern Warfare Training Center at Black Rapids Alaska. Attendees will experience two weeks of some of the most outstanding training available. Training is constant for the duration, going through the weekend, and into a two day field training exercise followed by two days of testing and retesting.
You will receive training in basic rope installations (rappell points, fixed ropes, belays), a plethora of knots, military mountaineering equipment, mountain walking techniques and climbing techniques. This course demands a high degree of dedication to learning and practicing the material taught in order to receive a go at the course. Upon completion of the course you will receive a diploma stating your qualification as a military mountaineer and a Basic Mountaineering Course graduate.

Minimum Entry Requirements

  1. Complete the MS II year of ROTC.
  2. Pass the Army Physical Fitness Test with a minimum of 60 points in each event at the 17-21 year old age group.
  3. Instructor nomination.
  4. Because of the mentally and physcially challenging nature of the course, the PMS will assess each cadet's maturity level and overall physical fitness.
  5. Receive an approved Army Physical within 18 months of attendence.


Mountain Warfare School

Mountain Warfare School, located at Camp Ethan Allen Training Site in Jerico, Vermont is a four week course. Mountain Warfare Training is a very exciting course that is available to qualified cadets. The course is divided into two phases, a two week summer phase, and a two week winter phase. The Summer phase of the course teaches practical applications in "a rock and earth" mountainous environment. Students are taught skills in rock climbing, rappelling, knot tying, river crossing, as well as the construction of vertical-haul lines and other constructions to move heavy equipment and people up and down mountains. The course is culminated in a 2 day, one night SUMO (Small Unit Mountain Operations) on CEATS, where Squads work together to navigate to the various training sites and be tested on their skills. The summer phase is more squad oriented and underlying the instruction in mountain skills is the experience of teamwork and command, as everybody will have a chance to be the Squad Leader during SUMO. This course is physically demanding and mentally challenging for all who attend. Soldiers from other countries as well as Special Forces from all of the United States armed services frequently attend this school for some of the best mountain training in the world. The winter phase of the course teaches students how to operate in a cold weather, mountainous environment. The training days are long and a lot of material is packed into the intensive two week course. Classes are taught in knot tying, winter land navigation, skiing, snowshoeing, avalanche rescue, ice climbing and crevasse rescue just to name a few. All of the training culminates in a three day, two night practical exercise in the "Notch" on Mount Mansfield. During this practical exercise students are tested on the knowledge they have acquired during the previous training. Since this is a practical exercise all of the training is put to use. The most important event of the practical exercise is the terrain walk. During this exercise students use all they have been taught about cold weather operations to maneuver up the side of a mountain, through a pass and back down the other side.

Mimimum Entry Requirements

  1. Complete the MS II year of ROTC
  2. Pass the Army Physical Fitness Test with a minimum of 60 points in each event at the 17-21 year old age group.
  3. Instructor nomination.
  4. Because of the mentally and physcially challenging nature of the course, the PMS will assess each cadet's maturity level and overall physical fitness.
  5. Receive an approved Army Physical within 18 months of attendence.

 

Cadet Troop Leader Training

Cadet Troop Leader Training is a four week leadership experience conducted at units in the Continental US, Alaska, Hawaii, Korea and Europe. Students are placed in charge of an active duty Army platoon of approximately 35 soldiers. The cadet's objective is to perform the leadership and management tasks necessary to train the platoon's soldiers and maintain it's equipment. While in CTLT, cadets continue to recieve the same rate of pay and allowances they received at LDAC. Transportation to and from the unit is provided. In adition, cadets stay in the Bachelor Officer Quarters. This training opportunity is reserved for MSIII cadets following LDAC. Cadets will usually proceed directly from LDAC to this training assignment.

Mimimum Entry Requirements

  1. Complete the MS III year of ROTC
  2. Complete and Pass LDAC