CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait –
United States Army Soldiers participated in a 6-mile ruck march during day two of Air Assault School’s Class 301-19 at Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Feb. 7, 2019. Students had to complete the march within 90 minutes while carrying approximately 35 pounds of gear in order to stay in the course.
“We had a good group today,” said Staff Sgt. Gerald Peck, an air-assault instructor assigned to Company B, Army National Guard Warrior Training Center out of Fort Benning, Georgia. “I think we only had one fallout which is above average.”
This class of students, having gone through a pre-air assault course, came into the course prepared.
“They came into this course really well-conditioned,” said Peck. “The pre-air assault course set them up for success.”
I chose to do Air Assault School to better my career, better myself, and give myself a challenge...
The class began with 240 students. The students came from U.S. Central Command’s area of operation.
“I chose to do Air Assault School to better my career, better myself, and give myself a challenge,” said Spc. Jordan Braiman, a diver assigned to 86th Engineer Diving Detachment out of Fort Eustis, Virginia.
Braiman prepared himself for Air Assault School by being physically fit which is part of being a diver.
“We’re already physically fit,” said Braiman. “You have to maintain that so every day is how we prepare.”
U.S. Army Air Assault School is a 10-day course designed to prepare Soldiers for insertion, evacuation, and pathfinder missions that call for the use of multipurpose transportation and assault helicopters. It’s conducted at several locations across the Army including overseas locations.
There are challenges to hosting the school in a forward operating environment.
“There are adjustments we’ve had to make,” said Peck. “But the students are still meeting the air assault challenge.”
Peck said the skillset the students will gain are immediately usable while they are in the CENTCOM area of operations.
“A lot of times you go through a school and it’s a year or more before you use that skill,” said Peck.
Soldiers who earn the Air Assault Badge may have more opportunities. Braiman said he knows a member of the dive team who has the Air Assault Badge and went on a mission specified for air assault.
“I hope to get a few missions requiring you to have air assault,” said Braiman. “To get one of those missions as part of the dive team would be really cool.”