Parachuting

[Knucklehead]

Parachuting in the DF, is it a hobby or a job skill?

[DeV]

It is both now both (it used to be just a job skill for ARW) but the last course was more job skill than adventure training.

[bunny shooter]

If we had a need for parachutists maybe. So as stated outside ARW we don't need it. Just lads getting their hobby paid for IMO bit like me and shooting really

[DeV]

There was an article in An Cosantoir about 2/3 months ago, the basic courses aren't just sports parachuting anymore, they include jumping with kit etc.

[Craghopper]

If we had a need for parachutists maybe. So as stated outside ARW we don't need it. Just lads getting their hobby paid for IMO bit like me and shooting really

Whats this "We" business paleface? Do you know possible future needs/requirements of the DF?

Why do you think they have moved away from sport type jumping into military based jumping?

"We" have a small amount of Para trained soldiers in comparison to other EU countries but its a skill set that we darn't lose because some think its a frickin hobby!

I can tell you the new syllabi is tough and nothing in comparison to sport jumping!

[hedgehog]

I disagree with you Crag

Parachuting in the DF is an expensive hobby practiced by a few golden children at a great cost to the

rest-IN the DF there is very little need for it and the military application is merely tokenism.

Lets be realisitic the wing will never jump in anywhere and shoot bad guys- (fast roping is different)


Lets look at the way the participants for the course are actualy picked- the majority of people

who get the course are members of civy clubs etc so in effect the military course is just an

expensive (for us) extension of their civy hobby-

If people want to jump- great but why should we pay for their hobbies.

[apod]

Course notification for the upcoming course specifically looks for applicants who are Recce,Sniper or FOO trained.Previous civi jumps are a bonus but not mandatory.
Grey area with regard the civi/mil side of things as you are expected to join PCM also at a cost of 100 euro.ARW members detailed for the course pay nothing.

[hedgehog]

Thats a welcome improvement APOD

but what will be more telling is the make of of those who get the course-

but lets face it no matter how its prettied up

we are never going to engage in military operations from a para jump

the monies spent on this fun activity would be better diverted into running more

recce- sniper- FOO- or even more man days for RDF

[Vamp369]

What is this FOO you all speak of?

[ZULU]

What is this FOO you all speak of?

Forward Observation Officer

[apod]

What is this FOO you all speak of?

I swear i am really,really resisting the urge to do a Goldie on this one."USE THE SEAR......."
Ah forget it
What zulu said.Arty Recce types who think they are SF.Actually fall of shot observers who happen to do OPs.Not nearly as good as us Infantry recce heads.But better than the cav

(Just kidding lads.FOO is a bloody tough course)
(FOOs are not all officers.NCOs do it too)

[ZULU]

(Just kidding lads.FOO is a bloody tough course)
(FOOs are not all officers.NCOs do it too)

They're all Officers, just some are commissioned, some aint

[Craghopper]

Snipers are trained in FOO.

[DeV]

Lets be realisitic the wing will never jump in anywhere and shoot bad guys- (fast roping is different)

Thats a welcome improvement APOD

but what will be more telling is the make of of those who get the course-

but lets face it no matter how its prettied up

we are never going to engage in military operations from a para jump

the monies spent on this fun activity would be better diverted into running more

recce- sniper- FOO- or even more man days for RDF

Neither will the British Parachute Regiment or SAS for that matter.

Course notification for the upcoming course specifically looks for applicants who are Recce,Sniper or FOO trained.Previous civi jumps are a bonus but not mandatory.

Exactly it improves their skills set and gives them more deployment options if it came to it.


By hedgie's logic, we should be getting weapons because the chances of us using them are low

Lets look at the way the participants for the course are actualy picked- the majority of people

who get the course are members of civy clubs etc so in effect the military course is just an

expensive (for us) extension of their civy hobby-

If people want to jump- great but why should we pay for their hobbies.

Because it means they already have the aptitute, they are less likely to waste a couple of weeks training by refusing in the door.

[hedgehog]

Neither will the British Parachute Regiment or SAS for that matter.

From what I have read the Para's haventdoen Battalion (or Bde) level jumps in 2 years

they say its money - but in reality IMO if the Brit MOD really anticipated combat jumping in the future

money would be no object- but its only my opinion and I have no knowledge of the inner workings

of foreign military.

Course notification for the upcoming course specifically looks for applicants who are Recce,Sniper or FOO trained.Previous civi jumps are a bonus but not mandatory.

Exactly it improves their skills set and gives them more deployment options if it came to it.


By hedgie's logic, we should be getting weapons because the chances of us using them are low

Not really- its merely an incidental- if it was required it would be part of the actual syllabus-

we should be logical about this- we will never have the raptor- we will never have an aircraft carrier

nor will we ever undertake combat jumps.

By hedgie's logic, we should be getting weapons because the chances of us using them are low

Spot on- but not only weapons- we will never use the Equit School- out it goes- we wont ever need
para trained people for military purposes- so lets not waste the money

We will never need the 105- so why waste time training people on it and buying ammunition for it.

If people want to jump- great but why should we pay for their hobbies.

Because it means they already have the aptitute, they are less likely to waste a couple of weeks training by refusing in the door.

I see your thinking and logic here mate-

but I refer you to your earlier statement

Neither will the British Parachute Regiment or SAS for that matter.

The Brits do this type of thing well and they dont have as a prerequirement

that you must be the son nephew neighbour or club mate of one of hte instructors on the course.

Times are tough out here and in the DF- Parachuting is an expensive hobby for a golden few

that we simply cant afford.