Scope:  Air Assault School is a 10 ½ day course that teaches Air Assault techniques and procedures, and qualifies soldiers to wear the Air Assault Badge.  

ZERO-DAY- 

Soldiers are inprocessed and are administered a pre-requisite test.  This test includes the negotiation of a 9 obstacle course, followed by a 2 mile run.  The Obstacle course is designed to assess a student’s upper body strength, agility, endurance, confidence, and ability to perform at heights without displaying fear or distress.  This test is critical in determining if a student will be able to complete Air Assault School without becoming a safety risk to themselves, instructors, or other students during the tough and demanding training events conducted throughout the course.  Only after a soldier successfully completes the inprocessing inspection, obstacle course and run does the soldier become an Air Assault Student. 

PHASE ONE - COMBAT ASSAULT  

This Phase is three days long.  During the Combat Assault Phase, soldiers receive instructions on the following tasks:  

·        Aircraft Safety

·        Aircraft Orientation – includes the familiarization of the characteristics & capabilities of Army aircraft

·        Aero Medical Evacuation – includes the capabilities and request procedures for MEDEVAC aircraft.

·        Pathfinder Operations – HLZ selection, marking and operation for day and night missions involving multiple aircraft, to include sling loads.

·        Hand and arm signals-  Soldiers are taught 17 hand and arm signals used during sling load operations

·        Close Combat Attacks- use of attack aviation in a CAS role

·        Combat Assault Operations – Includes various factors encompassed in an Air Assault operation such as: components of an AASLT mission, the reverse planning sequence, duties & responsibilities of platoon level personnel during an Air Assault, static load training and a simulated combat assault on UH-60 aircraft  

Soldiers are given two tests:  

·        Written - 50 question multiple choice - soldiers must achieve 70% to receive a GO  

·        Hands-on - They are tested on 10 of 17 hand and arm signals and must correctly perform 7 of the 10 to receive a GO.  

·        Soldiers must pass both tests to move on to the Sling Load Phase, they are allowed one retest per exam  

PHASE TWO - SLINGLOAD OPERATIONS  

This Phase is three days long.  During the Sling Load Phase, soldiers receive instruction on various aspects of sling load operations.  This includes:

·       Planning & preparation for sling load operations

·       Capabilities, characteristics and use of sling load equipment

·       Duties & responsibilities of a sling load personnel

·       Familiarization with sling load theory & rigging of non-standard loads

Students receive hands on training on preparation, rigging, and inspection of several certified or suitable external loads.  These may include the following loads:  

·        M998 HMMWV  

·        M998 HMMWV, shotgun/side-by-side configuration  

·        M119 105mm Howitzer

·        M149 Water Trailer

·        A-22 Cargo Bag

·        Fuel Blivets (1, 2, 3, or 4 blivit configuration) 

·        5000 lb or 10,000 lb Cargo Net  

The soldiers will also conduct an actual hook-up of a load underneath a CH-47 or UH-60 aircraft.

Soldiers are given two tests:  

·        Written - 50 question multiple choice - must score 70% to receive a GO  

·        Hands-on - Tested on 4 of the 6 loads taught.  Must identify 3 out of 4 preparation and/or rigging deficiencies within 2 minutes per load to receive a GO 

·        Soldiers must pass both tests to move on to the next phase.  They are allowed one retest per exam

PHASE THREE - RAPPELLING PHASE  

This phase is three days long.  During this phase soldiers receive instruction on basic ground and aircraft rappelling procedures, to include the following tasks:  

·        Tying of the hip-rappel seat (Swiss seat)

·        Hook-up techniques

·        Lock-in procedures  

·        Rappel with and without combat equipment

·        Belay procedures

·        Fast Rope familiarization

Soldiers will conduct 2 rappels on the wall side of the 34 foot tower, 9-12 rappels from the open side, and 2 from a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter hovering at 70-90 feet.  All rappels are conducted with and without combat equipment.  During fast rope familiarization, students conduct a controlled descent and a static hold for 5 seconds.  Students that successfully conduct both descents from a 12 foot platform, then descend from the 34’ tower using the stack-out/rapid exit technique.  Fast rope descents are conducted without combat equipment.

Soldiers are tested on:  

·        Tie the Hip rappel (Swiss) seat within 90 seconds with no deficiencies  

·        Hook-up to a rappel rope within 15 seconds, without deficiency

·        Conduct 3 rappels: lock-in rappel, rappel without combat equipment (Hollywood) with three controlled brakes, combat equipment rappel with three controlled brakes  

·        Soldiers must pass all tests to move on to the next phase and are allowed one retest per exam  

12-MILE FOOT MARCH 

The final event is the 12-mile foot march.  Soldiers must complete the 12-mile foot march, with the prescribed uniform and equipment, in three hours or less in order to graduate. The foot march is a graded task and a graduation requirement for Air Assault School. Units and individuals may NOT pace or otherwise walk with a student during the foot march. 

RECYCLE POLICY:

If a student fails a phase test, to include the road march, they may be re-cycled into another class. Each phase may be re-cycled one time.  A second failure of the same phase will result in a “Day 0 drop,” meaning that the student must begin a new class from day zero.  Students who have failed a phase, may return to any Air Assault School and insert into an ongoing class at the beginning of the failed phase.  The same procedures apply with foot march failures.  Regardless of how many phases have been re-cycled, the student must complete the course within 6 months of the original start date.  If not, the student becomes a “Day 0 drop.”

UPON GRADUATION:

• Graduates are awarded the Air Assault badge and the 2B ASI. 
• Graduates in the rank of SPC (E-4) and above are qualified to inspect rigged sling loads and sign a DA Form 7382R. 
• Graduates in the rank of CPL & above are qualified to perform as rappel lane NCOs for ground rappel training and are eligible to attend the Rappel Master Course. 
• Graduates in the rank of SFC or above are qualified to serve as a rappel site Safety Officer for ground and aircraft rappelling.