Gents, I am submitting for your review, the stupid post of the day. Jump wings, can I get them? I know of some Academy types that were able to get their jump wings over a summer or some sweet program like that. My question is, will I, as a PLC-er/7599 ever get a chance to get some government funded jump time? It's something I've been interested in, so if the question is no, I guess I'll just go the civilian route and pay to jump out of a plane. Thanks in advance
The majority of Marines I've seen in the last decade that have jump wings (that don't actually use them for their job) got the chance to get them from re-enlistment incentive or from the Academy for some reason... but quotas come around all the time, but usually go to one of your awesome enlisted dudes.
Yes. Go be a 75-badass, then get into a ANGLICO unit as a FAC. There, you just might get the opportunity. It's not common, but it's not really far-fetched either. My MOI did it, and he was a CH53 pilot. Of course he was also on American Gladiators and named his kids overtly Roman names (like Maximus), but that's a slightly different story.
For reasons passing understanding, the monitors are sending a decent number of 0402 lieutenants and captains to jump school. I know 4 or 5 just in the last few months. It's stupid, but I'm all for a good boondoggle. I just skipped all that and did a tandem with the army freefall school. Much better.
Unless you do this: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/san-diego-skydiver-died-expert-instructor-15749012
EA6BFLYR: That's kind of a buzz kill. Besides, I thought it was called proximity flying. Either way I'd rather stick to the good ol' jump and float method without all the fancy stuff. Unless of course, I could get one of these:
Don't be the guy who wants to get jump wings for purposes of adding more chest bling. There are way too many of those.
Low level static line jumping is not a generally fun experience. There is absolutely ZERO pride in wearing silver wings in the Marine Corps. You can have a fun experience jumping the MMPS (Marine Corps new free fall chute) but you won't go there unless you're Recon or MARSOC. In all honesty, enjoy your three weeks off in the summer. Be happy you're not spending them practicing falling with 400 Army privates. And if you truly want to try skydiving (which I highly recommend), spend the $250 on your first jump course and you'll be knees to the breeze flying your own parachute in less than 6 hours. Good luck.
In PLC, definitely not. As a winged aviator....maybe...if you play your cards in a certain way AND the timing is right. Typically via FAC tour of the right flavor. I know a guy who did 11 months in Battalion Recon and got them. I know a guy who did ANGLICO and got gold jump wings (actually 2, but one's a MajGen now and kicked it old school--I'm talking about relatively young guys) and another who did ANGLICO and never jumped once. Jump wings of any flavor won't make that much of a difference in your life, career-wise. If you like the high-speed life and want to play grunt for a year or so, jump wings might be a nice by-product, but don't count on them. If you just want the experience, then just pays your money and take your chances with everyone else in the civilian world of parachuting.
Ha, yeah I just meant as the route I took to my commission. Thanks for detailing the ways you've seen it done. It seems like the general consensus is to just go civilian type school so I'll look more in to that. Thanks.
When I was at Laughlin AFB I saw a lot of the new people coming in for primary right out of the academy wearing silver jump wings. They do it in a weekend or two at the Springs (COS)
