Airborne!

Fort Benning is the home of several schools and courses, one of which is Airborne School. It's the only airborne school in the entire military and all of the different branches come here to become airborne qualified. The 3-week-long course is divided into three different phases. The first week is called ground week, all training is done on the ground. The second week is called tower week, the students jump off of the 34-foot towers and the 250-foot towers. The third and final week is called jump week, during which they must complete five jumps out of an airplane before they earn their jump wings.

Today I got the opportunity to participate in tower week (well part of it). I led a tour group around post and one of the activities was the 34-foot tower. It was way fun, but it was also way high! Here are a few pictures from my experience:

This is the 34-foot tower. You jump out of the door and zip-line down to the bottom.

Here I am in my harness and ready to go...

Arms crossed and about to jump...

Sliding down! My feet are up because you have to go over a hill and the Soldiers yell at you to keep your feet up.

Receiving my jump wings...

And just 'cause she's cute, here is Lauren this morning all bundled up and ready for daycare...

And here she is feeding puppy a bone before we leave. She loves to help and she especially loves when Lil' Jon gives her attention.