First jump in the 82nd Airborne

[DRM]

Bros,

Last night at 8pm, I made my first jump with my new unit. My entire Brigade (roughly 4,000 Paratroopers) jumped in two separate lifts to do what is known as a JOAX- Joint Operations Access Exercise. Basically, we all jumped and practiced seizing an airfield. It's the bread and butter of the Airborne and is a vital skill to rehearse and stay proficient at as it is the most effective way to invade enemy held territory and take it. We did it in North Africa, France, and Italy in WWII, Korea, Grenada, Panama, Afghanistan, and Iraq: and it works.

Here are the pics on my Brigade's Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/1bct82

I love this job.
-Dave

[Carbuff]

That is some cool stuff right there.

[DRM]

Here's a vid from the inside of a C-17 during a night jump from a previous 82nd airfield seizure exercise. I dropped from a C-130 which is an entirely different animal, but you get the idea.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MPSiXXMbmM

[rjohnstone]

I don't think you guys were carrying enough shit.

[DRM]

I don't think you guys were carrying enough shit.

"I don't care how many skydives you've got...until you've stepped into complete darkness at 800 feet wearing 120lbs of combat equipment and 42lbs of parachute...

You just haven't lived."

[rjohnstone]

"I don't care how many skydives you've got...until you've stepped into complete darkness at 800 feet wearing 120lbs of combat equipment and 42lbs of parachute...

You just haven't lived."

Would scare the crap out of me. I did one tandem jump and a static line jump.
Total darkness at 800 feet... I'm good.

[RacerX]

Hoo rah!

[straycat]

Impressive to say the least.

[DonP]

Sounds like fun. Enjoy it!