The Military Freefall Parachutist Badge is a military badge of the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

and

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...

awarded to qualified U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force personnel as high-altitude military parachute specialists.Air Force Guidance Memorandum to Air Force Manual (AFMAN) 11-402, Aviation and Parachutist Service
U.S. Department of the Air Force, dated 13 September 2022, last accessed 8 October 2022

Qualifications

To earn the Military Freefall Parachutist Badge, the military member first must receive all necessary ground training, already have earned the Military Parachutist Badge (jump-qualified), and must have completed the requisite freefall (night, combat equipment, oxygen) jumps and graduate from the Military Free-Fall Parachutist Course.MFFPC ATRRS Information Changes
U.S. Army Special Operations Center of Excellence, last accessed 3 January 2020 A star and

laurel wreath A laurel wreath is a round wreath made of connected branches and leaves of the bay laurel (), an aromatic broadleaf evergreen, or later from spineless butcher's broom (''Ruscus hypoglossum'') or cherry laurel (''Prunus laurocerasus''). It is a sy ...

, centered above the badge, called the Master Military Freefall Parachutist Badge, is authorized for U.S. Army

Soldier A soldier is a person who is a member of an army. A soldier can be a conscripted or volunteer enlisted person, a non-commissioned officer, or an officer. Etymology The word ''soldier'' derives from the Middle English word , from Old French ...

s and U.S. Air Force

Airman An airman is a member of an air force or air arm of a nation's armed forces. In certain air forces, it can also refer to a specific enlisted rank. An airman can also be referred as a soldier in other definitions. In civilian aviation usage, t ...

qualified as a Master Military Freefall Parachutist (

Jumpmaster Jumpmasters are the expert paratroopers in an airborne unit who train and teach the military techniques for jumping from airplanes. They are responsible for training soldiers who enter Army Airborne School into paratroopers and managing airborne ju ...

). Such qualification requires completing the Military Free-Fall Jumpmaster Course, wherein the student learns how to be a jumpmaster in military freefall operations.Military Free-Fall Jumpmaster Course (MFFJMC)
U.S. Army Special Operations Center of Excellence, last accessed 3 January 2020 As with the U.S. Army's Military Parachutist Badge, small bronze and gold stars are placed on the badge to represent participation in combat jumps, known as Combat Jump Devices, and can be awarded with either the basic and master versions of the badge. To earn the device, a Military Freefall Parachutist must have conducted a High-altitude/low-opening (HALO) or high-altitude/high-opening (HAHO) jump in a war zone. The stars are awarded as follows:Qualification Badges, Military Free Fall Parachutist Badge

United States Army Institute of Heraldry The Institute of Heraldry, officially The Institute of Heraldry, Department of the Army, is an activity of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army solely responsible for furnishing heraldic services to President of the United ...

, last accessed 22 April 2017

History

The Military Freefall Badge original design was submitted in March 1983 by Sergeant First Class Gregory A. Dailey of SFODA-552, Company B, 2nd Battalion,

5th Special Forces Group The 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) (5th SFG (A)) is one of the most decorated active duty United States Army Special Forces groups in the U.S. armed forces. The 5th SFG (A) saw extensive action in the Vietnam War and played a pivotal role i ...

. Updates on the design, adding a Master Military Freefall Parachutist Badge were submitted by General

Wayne A. Downing Wayne Allan Downing (May 10, 1940 – July 18, 2007) was a four-star United States Army general born in Peoria, Illinois. He graduated from the United States Military Academy with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1962 and held a Master of Busine ...

U.S. Special Operations Command The United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM or SOCOM) is the unified combatant command charged with overseeing the various special operations component commands of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force of the United States Arm ...

(USSOCOM) and James Phillips of the

Special Forces Association The Special Forces Association (SFA) is a non-profit fraternal organization for current and retired U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers, also known as "Green Berets." Established in 1964, the association is based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, with ...

. The badge was approved for wear by U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to

U.S. Army Special Operations Command The United States Army Special Operations Command (Airborne) (USASOC ( )) is the command charged with overseeing the various special operations forces of the United States Army. Headquartered at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, it is the largest ...

(USASOC) on 1 October 1994. Unrestricted wear was approved on 7 July 1997 by General

Dennis Reimer Dennis Joe Reimer (born July 12, 1939) is a retired general of the United States Army, who served as the 33rd Chief of Staff of the Army from June 20, 1995 to June 21, 1999. He is also a graduate of Ranger and Airborne school. Early life and edu ...

. Symbolism of the badge's design: *The

dagger A dagger is a fighting knife with a very sharp point and usually two sharp edges, typically designed or capable of being used as a thrusting or stabbing weapon.State v. Martin, 633 S.W.2d 80 (Mo. 1982): This is the dictionary or popular-use de ...

is a

Fairbairn–Sykes fighting knife The Fairbairn–Sykes fighting knife is a double-edged fighting knife resembling a dagger or poignard with a foil grip. It was developed by William Ewart Fairbairn and Eric Anthony Sykes in Shanghai based on ideas that the two men had while serv ...

, used by the

Office of Strategic Services The Office of Strategic Services (OSS) was the intelligence agency of the United States during World War II. The OSS was formed as an agency of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) to coordinate espionage activities behind enemy lines for all branc ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, and represents infiltration techniques. *The arched tab represents tabs worn by special operations forces. *The

parachute A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag or, in a ram-air parachute, aerodynamic lift. A major application is to support people, for recreation or as a safety device for aviators, who ...

is a seven-celled MT1-X, the first

ram-air parachute A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag or, in a ram-air parachute, aerodynamic lift. A major application is to support people, for recreation or as a safety device for aviators, who ...

to be adopted by the

U.S. Military The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is the ...

as the standard freefall canopy. *The wings represent flight and airborne capabilities.

Training

The U.S. Military Free-Fall School (MFFS) is operated by the USASOC's

John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School The U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School (SWCS) – known informally as "Swick" – primarily trains and educates United States Army personnel for the United States Army Special Operations Command and United States Specia ...

(SWCS), 2nd Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne), 2nd Battalion, Company B at the U.S. Army's

Yuma Proving Ground Yuma Proving Ground (YPG) is a United States Army series of environmentally specific test centers with its Yuma Test Center being one of the largest military installations in the world. It is subordinate to the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation ...

(YPG) in

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

, which is the USSOCOM proponent for military freefall.Special Forces Qualification Course to incorporate military free-fall training
Army.mil, by MAJ James Branch (USA), dated 4 October 2012, last accessed 22 April 2017
U.S. Army Special Operations Center of Excellence, last accessed 22 April 2017 The MFFS conducts four primary training courses, the Military Free-Fall Parachutist Course, the Military Free-Fall Jumpmaster Course, the Military Free-Fall Advanced Tactical Infiltration Course, and the Military Free-Fall Instructor Course.
www.soc.mil, last accessed 3 May 2020 The U.S. Air Force also conducts the Military Free-Fall Jumpmaster Course—certified by the MFFS—at

Davis–Monthan Air Force Base Davis–Monthan Air Force Base (DM AFB) is a United States Air Force base southeast of downtown Tucson, Arizona. It was established in 1925 as Davis–Monthan Landing Field. The host unit for Davis–Monthan AFB is the 355th Wing (355 WG) ass ...

for airman that are not able to attend the MFFS's jumpmaster course.Mastering the jump
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base official page, by Airman Nathan H. Barbour, dated 1 July 2016, last accessed 22 April 2017 Alternatively, detachments from the MFFS conduct the Military Free-Fall Jumpmaster Course via mobile training teams (MTT) for military freefall units that have difficulty attending the course at the Yuma Proving Ground.First Ever Military Freefall Jumpmaster Course Hosted Overseas

Defense Video & Imagery Distribution System The Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS), formerly the "Defense Video & Imagery Distribution System," is an operation supported by the Defense Media Activity (DMA). It provides a connection between world media and the American ...

, by

LCpl The Landing Craft Personnel (Large) or LCP (L) was a landing craft used extensively in the Second World War. Its primary purpose was to ferry troops from transport ships to attack enemy-held shores. The craft derived from a prototype designed by t ...

Jordan Talley, dated 21 April 2017, last accessed 3 January 2020 The Military Free-Fall Parachutist Course (MFFPC) is open to special operations forces assigned to military freefall coded positions, parachute riggers, and select DoD civilian personnel or allied personnel assigned to military freefall positions. To attend MFFPC, students must have graduated from the U.S. Army Airborne School and must meet specific medical requirements. Week one of the four-week course focuses on vertical wind tunnel body stabilization training at the

MSG Monosodium glutamate (MSG), also known as sodium glutamate, is the sodium salt of glutamic acid. MSG is found naturally in some foods including tomatoes and cheese in this glutamic acid form. MSG is used in cooking as a flavor enhancer wi ...

George A Bannar Wind Tunnel as well as parachute packing and an introduction to military freefall operations. The remaining weeks focuses training on varying jump profiles using three airborne operations per training iteration, totaling 30 military freefall operations per course encompassing various conditions and equipment loads. At the end of the course, students will have learned how to: *Pack the RA-1 Military Free-Fall Advanced Ram-Air Parachute System main parachuteRA-1 Military Freefall System Config Packing
U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, curtesy of "Deez Nutz" YouTube Channel, dated 17 November 2017, last accessed 21 September 2020How to Pack the RA-1 Main in Free Fall Configuration using PRO Pack Procedures
U.S. Army (curtesy of "Sky Shark" YouTube Channel), dated 10 August 2019, last accessed 27 September 2020 and don the system *Rigging/jumping procedures for weapons, combat equipment,

night vision goggles A night-vision device (NVD), also known as a night optical/observation device (NOD), night-vision goggle (NVG), is an optoelectronic device that allows visualization of images in low levels of light, improving the user's night vision. The dev ...

and portable oxygen equipment *Aircraft procedures *Exit an aircraft from the door and ramp using dive and poised exit positions *Emergency procedures and body stabilization *HALO and HAHO parachute jumps from altitudes of to Upon completion of the MFFPC, graduates are awarded the Military Freefall Parachutist Badge. To attend the Military Free-Fall JumpMaster Course (MFFJMC), students must have graduated from the U.S. Army Airborne School, the MFFPC, the U.S. Army Jumpmaster School, be a current military freefall parachutist, served as a military freefall parachutist for a minimum of one year, and must have completed at least 50 military freefall jumps. The three-week MFFJMC focuses on training students on jumpmaster duties and responsibilities, such as: *Nomenclature *Jumpmaster personnel inspection *Emergency procedures *Oxygen equipment *Wind drift calculations *Altimeter calculations *Emergency automatic activation device calculations *Jump commands *Aircraft procedures *Techniques of spotting *HAHO techniques *Various ram-air parachute systems packing and rigging Upon completion of the MFFJMC, graduates are awarded the Master Military Freefall Parachutist Badge. To attend the Military Free-Fall Advanced Tactical Infiltration Course (MFFATIC), students must have the same qualifications and completed the same prerequisites required of the MFFJMC. The three-week MFFATIC focuses on educating and training joint special operations forces and other selected personnel in the planning and conduct of night military freefall tactical infiltrations as a group onto unknown and unmarked drop zones. Training includes:Military Free-Fall Advanced Tactical Infiltration Course (MFFATIC)
U.S. Army Special Operations Center of Excellence, last accessed 3 January 2020 *Following GPS guided bundles *Carrying various combat equipment *Various communications *Wearing various night vision devices *Jumping with non-standard weapons while using oxygen equipment *Utilization of various parachutist navigational devices Upon completion of the MFFATIC, graduates are awarded a certificate of completion; there is no badge or badge device awarded for completion of the MFFATIC. US Army MFFC Instructors evaluate jumper

US Army MFFC Instructors evaluate jumper

To attend the Military Free-Fall Instructor Course (MFFIC), students must be a

commissioned officer An officer is a person who holds a position of authority as a member of an armed force or uniformed service. Broadly speaking, "officer" means a commissioned officer, a non-commissioned officer, or a warrant officer. However, absent context ...

warrant officer Warrant officer (WO) is a rank or category of ranks in the armed forces of many countries. Depending on the country, service, or historical context, warrant officers are sometimes classified as the most junior of the commissioned ranks, the mos ...

, or

non-commissioned officer A non-commissioned officer (NCO) is a military officer who has not pursued a commission. Non-commissioned officers usually earn their position of authority by promotion through the enlisted ranks. (Non-officers, which includes most or all enli ...

and must have the same qualifications and completed the same prerequisites required of the MFFJMC and MFFATIC. Additionally, these students must be qualified military free-fall jumpmasters, must have completed a minimum of 100 free-fall parachute jumps, and must have nine months remaining in service upon graduation. The initial nine-week MFFIC focuses on the following over 150-200 free-fall jumps:Inside the Special Forces Military Free Fall School
Coffee or Die

YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...

Channel, by Marty Skovlund Jr, dated 1 May 2020, last accessed 3 May 2020 *Learn how to conduct military free-fall jumps from the instructor's perspective *Jump as an instructor evaluating and coaching a current MFF instructor who plays the role of a new MFF student *Learn how to deal with multiple instructor-induced problems during free-fall commonly encountered with new MFF students After nine weeks of fundamentals, student-instructors are placed as shadows at the MFFPC for three to six months. Upon completion of the shadow program, graduates are awarded the Military Free-Fall Instructor Rating; there is no badge or badge device awarded for completion of the MFFIC.

References

{{US Army badges United States military parachuting badges

Qualifications

History

Training

See also

References