Posted on Oct 14, 2022
Have the Jump Towers been removed from Ft Benning?
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Another retiree just told me that the Jump Towers have been replaced by a wind tunnel experience. A wind tunnel is going to replicate that first step off a Tower? Was the Tower injury rate excessive or were there too many refusals? SGT (Join to see)
Airborne School
Jump Pay
IDP (Imminent Danger Pay)
Posted 2 y ago
Responses: 18
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Removed? Balderdash.
How in the hell are those dumb enuf to jump out of perfectly good aircraft gonna practice if they don't have scary towers?
I know ... maybe set up one of those carnival style parachute rides?
How in the hell are those dumb enuf to jump out of perfectly good aircraft gonna practice if they don't have scary towers?
I know ... maybe set up one of those carnival style parachute rides?
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CPT Eireanne Russ
LTC Edward Dillenschneider, SMP - just what I was about to say…need proof…they pay the pilots 4x as much to try to land the thing than they pay us to get out early.
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CSM Charles Hayden, I can’t find anything to suggest that the towers are no longer in use. There are two types of towers, of course. Students do “step off” of 34’ towers. However, students are placed in harnesses beneath parachutes and lifted to the correct height and then released on the 250’ towers. There’s literally nothing from which to step!
When I was at jump school (23MAR70-9APR70), I don’t think any student refused either tower or refused to jump for that matter.
EDIT: Based on SGT (Join to see)’ recollections and observations, I’m sure that there must have been many, many quitters and some refusals along the way, but I simply never saw them.
MSG William Wold
https://www.benning.army.mil/MCOE/Historic-Trail/23_Jump_Towers.html
When I was at jump school (23MAR70-9APR70), I don’t think any student refused either tower or refused to jump for that matter.
EDIT: Based on SGT (Join to see)’ recollections and observations, I’m sure that there must have been many, many quitters and some refusals along the way, but I simply never saw them.
MSG William Wold
https://www.benning.army.mil/MCOE/Historic-Trail/23_Jump_Towers.html
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SGT (Join to see)
"Hit the hole poll man, hit the hole", Remember that job, getting the T-10 apex, hooked up with the rack using a pole, the the rack lifted you up the tower?
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In my days 1972, refusals at the tower, or even at the chow line, you were removed from jump school.
Everyday, the class was asked if they wanted to quit, maybe even 5 times a day.
And there were some, there was a guy that refused after his 2nd qualifying jump. He only had 3 more to go the next day. I asked him why, he said it was to dangerous for him, 2 days later, he got orders to Vietnam.
Our class started with 600+ students, after 5 weeks, we graduated with 268 students left. The most that either quit, or got put out, were mostly ROTC cadets.
We had 6 Marines, 4 officers and 2 NOC's, at graduation, only the marine LT, and the E-6, were there, the others couldn't make the training.
Everyday, the class was asked if they wanted to quit, maybe even 5 times a day.
And there were some, there was a guy that refused after his 2nd qualifying jump. He only had 3 more to go the next day. I asked him why, he said it was to dangerous for him, 2 days later, he got orders to Vietnam.
Our class started with 600+ students, after 5 weeks, we graduated with 268 students left. The most that either quit, or got put out, were mostly ROTC cadets.
We had 6 Marines, 4 officers and 2 NOC's, at graduation, only the marine LT, and the E-6, were there, the others couldn't make the training.
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LTC Reginald Brown
I went through in the 90's and never understood the reports that guys were refusing to go up and drop from the tower, because there was extensive training and confidence building before going up. If I remember correctly, the trainers ensured we were well prepared and trained before the next step. Either way, the website still states tower training https://www.benning.army.mil/Infantry/ARTB/1-507th/Airborne/Tower.html The apparati used this week are the 34-foot towers, the swing landing trainer (SLT), the mock door for mass exit training, the suspended harness, and the 250-foot (76 m) free tower. Tower Week completes your individual skill training and builds team effort skills. To go forward to Jump Training Week you must qualify on the SLT, master the mass exit procedures from the 34-foot (10 m) tower, and pass all PT requirements.
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SGT (Join to see)
LTC Reginald Brown - When I went through Jump School, our first four qualifying jumps were in a C-119, the fifth was in a C-134. I never seen a C-130, C-141 or UH1, until I arrived at Ft. Bragg in June of 1972.
And, Yes, as we all advanced to the next steps of training, we were all ready to go to the next steps in the training. And, it was during a different time era, you did what you were told with no questions.
But for some, they just at the time refused to continue the training, for what reason(s) we didn't know. But it was respected, that they did decide not to go on, better than getting kicked out of the training, or unable to continue.
There was a Marine LTC that didn't make the training, last time I saw him, during the 5 mile run around the tower track, he was lying on the ground, pulking up all the apricots he had eaten during breakfast.
As we ran by, the cadre sung cadence, "Look to the left and what do you see?" "A bunch of fagots looking at me!" "Run by and let him die!"
The next lap, the LTC was gone, only things left, were the apricots all over the track.
By the way, the 5 mile runs were really never 5 miles, it was a run, until the Black Hats said stop, maggots'.
And, Yes, as we all advanced to the next steps of training, we were all ready to go to the next steps in the training. And, it was during a different time era, you did what you were told with no questions.
But for some, they just at the time refused to continue the training, for what reason(s) we didn't know. But it was respected, that they did decide not to go on, better than getting kicked out of the training, or unable to continue.
There was a Marine LTC that didn't make the training, last time I saw him, during the 5 mile run around the tower track, he was lying on the ground, pulking up all the apricots he had eaten during breakfast.
As we ran by, the cadre sung cadence, "Look to the left and what do you see?" "A bunch of fagots looking at me!" "Run by and let him die!"
The next lap, the LTC was gone, only things left, were the apricots all over the track.
By the way, the 5 mile runs were really never 5 miles, it was a run, until the Black Hats said stop, maggots'.
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SGT (Join to see)
I did see the C-119 again at Ft Bragg 1972, one was at the 82nd. ABN museum with a C-47.
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Pulled this off the Ft. Benning Basic Airborne Course web site. As of today, they are still using the towers or at least a tower for training.
The individual skills learned during Ground Week are refined during Tower Week and team effort or "mass exit" concept is added to the training. The apparati used this week are the 34-foot towers, the swing landing trainer (SLT), the mock door for mass exit training, the suspended harness, and the 250-foot (76 m) free tower. Tower Week completes your individual skill training and builds team effort skills. To go forward to Jump Training Week you must qualify on the SLT, master the mass exit procedures from the 34-foot (10 m) tower, and pass all PT requirements.
The individual skills learned during Ground Week are refined during Tower Week and team effort or "mass exit" concept is added to the training. The apparati used this week are the 34-foot towers, the swing landing trainer (SLT), the mock door for mass exit training, the suspended harness, and the 250-foot (76 m) free tower. Tower Week completes your individual skill training and builds team effort skills. To go forward to Jump Training Week you must qualify on the SLT, master the mass exit procedures from the 34-foot (10 m) tower, and pass all PT requirements.
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As of March 2022, the 250ft towers are not being used except for dummy demonstrations, nor is there any kind of wind tunnel device. The two types of towers used during Ground and Tower week are the 25/35ft towers with the zip line. I believe a combination of injuries and the actual towers themselves being mostly deadlined is why they're no longer used for actual people.
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LTC Stephen C.
Correction, CPT (Join to see): Does the 824th still wear the 82nd shoulder sleeve insignia?
CSM Charles Hayden
CSM Charles Hayden
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CPT (Join to see)
LTC Stephen C. You're welcome sir. We no longer wear the 82nd patch, as of 2019 if I remember correctly. We now wear the 518th Sustainment Brigade's bull patch.
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LTC Jason Mackay
As far back as 1994 they used to scrub the 250ft tower because of lightning storms during the summer months. I am sure there was a cost benefit analysis done between availability injuries and the fact one could successfully jump without it
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No I was there just a couple weeks ago and they where still going strong.
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CSM Charles Hayden
CH (CPT) (Join to see) Thank you. There is something phony about the fellow that told me they were gone!
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I was there in January for my birthday. The 250 foot towers are still in place but it was too early in the week for the students to use them.
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CSM Charles Hayden
COL Jon Thompson Thank you, I rather surmise the fellow that told me that is a BS’er.
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My son was there 8 years ago they were in use. As of today Perhaps but not 100%, I heard they were replaced by something, but no idea.. My son wasn't there for jumps but for something else. Interestingly my daughter who has never been in the military jumps for fun and competition. Also rides motorcycles. He husband used to ride professionally for BMW.
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LTC Stephen C.
It’s been many, many years since I’ve jumped, MSG William Wold, but I made military jumps (static line only) and also became a civilian skydiver. I enjoyed both.
CSM Charles Hayden
CSM Charles Hayden
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I graduated from the US Army Airborne School in August 1997. The closest I got to the 250' towers was when we went running. My class never was dropped out of them. I can honestly say I am glad we did not. I went to the school to overcome my fear of heights and that may have been worse. I do recall the instructors saying we were a test phase. The only difference I heard of was we carried a rucksack with a sandbag in it.
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