The United States Army Jumpmaster School trains personnel in the skills necessary to jumpmaster a combat-equipped jump and the proper attaching, jumping, and releasing of combat and individual equipment while participating in an actual jump that is proficient in the duties and responsibilities of the

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 ...

and Safety; procedures for rigging individual equipment containers and door bundles; personnel parachute components by their specific nomenclature and characteristics; procedures and standards required to conduct a JumpMaster Personnel Inspection (JMPI); the duties and responsibilities of the Drop Zone Safety Officer; the presentation of the Jumpmaster briefing and sustained airborne training (SAT); and the execution of the duties of a Jumpmaster and Safety from a

USAF The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Aerial warfare, air military branch, 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 ...

aircraft during a day/night combat equipment jump.

Training

In order to obtain the coveted Jumpmaster rating, an individual must complete a series of requirements. Since 1950, only those in the ranks of Sergeant and above may perform any Jumpmaster duties. The individual must be a graduate of The U.S. Army Advanced Airborne School at Fort Bragg,

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...

, The United States Army Jumpmaster School at Fort Benning,

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

or the U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) Jumpmaster School Mobile Training Teams (MTT). In order to enter these elite military schools, the individual must meet the following standards: # Active Army and Reserve Component Officer and Enlisted Personnel (E-5 or above). # Must be qualified as a parachutist and have a minimum of 12 static line parachute jumps from a high-performance aircraft (

C-130 The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed Corporation, Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 ...

C-141 The Lockheed C-141 Starlifter is a retired military strategic airlifter that served with the Military Air Transport Service (MATS), its successor organization the Military Airlift Command (MAC), and finally the Air Mobility Command (AMC) of the ...

, C27J, C-17 or C-5 only). # Must have been on jump status for a minimum of 12 months. These months do not have to be consecutive. # An Airborne physical current within 5 years. # Must be recommended by Battalion Commander or officer in the grade of Lieutenant colonel (signed service school worksheet or unit order of merit list). # Must have a static line jump within the past 180 days. # Sister Service Members are authorized to attend as long as they are in a billet that requires the use of Jumpmaster skills / knowledge. Marine Corps and Air Force enlisted personnel E-4 and above may attend. # All waivers to the above, must be routed from the first O-5 Commander or equivalent thru the Commander, 1-507th Parachute Infantry Regiment to Commander, Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade. All waivers must be received thirty (30) days prior to the start of the course.

Exams

The three Jumpmaster schools are each roughly three weeks in length and consist of six key examinations: # Nomenclature Exam # Pre-Jump Training Exam # Written Exam # Practical Work In Aircraft (PWAC) # JMPIJumpmaster - JMPI Videos
benning.army.mil, last accessed 27 May 2017 # Safety Exam

Preparation

Students are expected to come prepared for class and to spend the time required to learn the material presented throughout each day. Upon arrival each student should already know all of the nomenclature for both the T-10 and T-11 parachute systems. Generally speaking, it takes a potential jumpmaster at least two attempts to pass the course (less than 30% of attendees earn a first time Go). In recognition of this, returning students are commonly referred to as “alumni” by their Black Hat instructors. There is also a common joke that those who pass on their first attempt actually tested out early from the “full six week course”.

Graduation

Upon completion of the course new jumpmasters are expected to report to their units with a thorough understanding of the basic skills presented in class. They should then familiarize themselves with their units SOPs, so that they can keep up with the accelerated rate of learning required to keep up with their unit's operational tempo. Above all else they should always stress rehearsals.

Honor Graduate

The student who graduates the jumpmaster course with the highest standing receives the Harry "Tug" Wilson Award. This award is named after

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 ...

Harry "Tug" Wilson, the U.S. Army's most experienced airborne jumper 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 ...

, who served in an instrumental position within the Army's elite Parachute Test Platoon, testing multiple new parachute systems under a variety of conditions.

References