How U.S. military personnel earn their “jump wings”

Paratroopers and Airborne operations came of age during WWII and are considered elite soldiers. The Germans were the first to use them in large numbers in a combat operation. Quickly adopted by the American and British, the first U.S. combat jump took place in late 1942. While the most famous Airborne Operation of all time was the combined drop of Allied paratroopers in the predawn hours of the D-Day invasion of France, the paratrooper is still an asset coveted by modern armies eight decades later. What’s it like to become a paratrooper in the U.S. military? This short video gives you an overview of the U.S. Army’s 3-week basic airborne course. With few exceptions, all airborne-qualified military personnel, regardless of rank or branch of service, go through the Army’s “Jump School” at Ft. Benning, Georgia. All candidates are volunteers, and the class is open to both men and women, each having an equal opportunity to earn the highly coveted “jump wings.”

To view the clip, click here.