Air Assault Prep [Archive]

moose

5 March 2004, 15:26

i have a 9 mile ruck run tomorrow morning, does anyone care about that?

that sucks dude--will you really be acomplishing anything from running 9 miles with a ruck? i'm going to have a pretty nice saturday--sleeping in, recovering from tonight, maybe go play some football later on, i don't know, that's if i have time or not, we'll see

Associate289

5 March 2004, 15:30

that sucks dude--will you really be acomplishing anything from running 9 miles with a ruck?

you mean besides improving his physical fitness and testing his endurance?

moose

5 March 2004, 15:44

you mean besides improving his physical fitness and testing his endurance?

there are other ways of doing so, and there are other days of doing so besides on a saturday. He asked if anyone cares, and i do. i really hope this isn't something he's doing on his own will.

cornbread

5 March 2004, 16:55

that sucks dude--will you really be acomplishing anything from running 9 miles with a ruck?

Air Assault school train up...not my idea though, i get to thank the powers that be at hudson high, where saturdays are for training and manditory fun....
oh, and they just told us today about it, but who is bitter, right?

Hammer6

5 March 2004, 22:02

Man does everyone have a FTX tomorrow? Christ.

CDT Hardass.. what are you.. a I, II, III or IV?

Ezmartini

6 March 2004, 02:37

Yeah I got an FTX tomorrow, STX lanes. My first STX lanes and I'm giggling like a little schoolgirl (well, not really, but it does sound fun). I will bid you all adieu now, for I must wake up in 5 hours.

CDThardass

6 March 2004, 12:59

CDT Hardass.. what are you.. a I, II, III or IV?

I am the reincarnation of Gen. Patton in Cadet land, (AKA im a MS II).

My question is, why did you want to know.

cornbread

6 March 2004, 19:18

heh...hope you like ruck runs Mojo, the WP powers that be have you ruck run a lot for just about anything...whether it be certain intramurals, trainups, etc....

cornbread

6 March 2004, 19:34

YAY, i now have a thread dedicated to my bitching!!!!!

AirborneAli

6 March 2004, 20:02

i have a 9 mile ruck run tomorrow morning, does anyone care about that?

no

roger29

6 March 2004, 21:02

Damn dude, I started my spring break this week! F that whole ruck run idea.

But actually, I am trying to get an AA slot out of LDAC this year...what is your training plan like?

cornbread

6 March 2004, 22:13

the trainup here so far is just the ruck runs..well they call them ruck marches, the 6, 9, and 12 miler. each one is set at a 15 minute pace, not too bad unless your in a hilly area, with the packing list from air assualt school, if you want the list, pm me and i can send it to you

cornbread

6 March 2004, 22:15

if i could edit, i would clarify to say the packing list for what has to be in your ruck...which they are strict about, if your missing an item, even if it something like footpowder or pen and paper, they fail you out of the school.

AirborneAli

6 March 2004, 23:38

But actually, I am trying to get an AA slot out of LDAC this year...what is your training plan like?

A what slot? OH, Air Assault...not...never mind.

MoJo

6 March 2004, 23:38

Damn dude, I started my spring break this week! F that whole ruck run idea.

But actually, I am trying to get an AA slot out of LDAC this year...what is your training plan like?

I've never been to Air Assault, but I'd say the biggest challenge is climbing the rope and obstacle course.

The 12 mile road march must be completed in like 3 hours, and I've done a couple of 12 milers and without any running at all, ended up at like 2 hours 30 minutes.

cornbread

6 March 2004, 23:47

from the guys i have talked to, the worst part is simply how easy it is to fail...one item left out, a knot tied poorly once, something like that, and your out. WPers usually go to Camp Smith not to far from WP were guys from fort drum are cadre, they are all pretty bitter about it and its almost exlusively cadets, mostly WPers but also a few ROTC. it goes straight through the weekends so its a little quicker than at campbell but the biggest difference is you get treated more like a human at campbell than at smith.
i just added the camp smith perspective because pass/fail might be a little different at cambell but i dont know how much.

Sammy Sandbag

6 March 2004, 23:50

I've heard from guys who have been to Scholfield, Campbell, and Smith, and from what I gather Smith is by far the most anal retentive AA school to go to. Probably because it is primarily cadets, and majority WPers. I'd definately try for Hawaii, but Campbell if not.

cornbread

6 March 2004, 23:54

i also know a few people who went to CTLT to Hawaii and Cambell who had real tight sponsors who let them try to walk on to AA school instead of doing the normal CTLT thing, so if your heart is set on an AA slot and it doesnt look like you will get it, there is the slight possibility of getting it that way, i just wouldnt count on it.

Sammy Sandbag

6 March 2004, 23:56

You also have a real good chance of getting an AA slot if you attend an early camp reg. They were handing them out to anyone who could attend last year 2nd Reg.

Holt

7 March 2004, 08:47

Well, if there are empty slots, doenst make sense not to fill 'em

roger29

7 March 2004, 11:39

Hey Sammy, I'm going 1st reg, know anything about how many they give out then and how many cadets actually are taken? Plus, what is going on with AA in HA now that the 25th is deployed...is the school still open? Will they offer slots to Campbell?

Also, Camp Smith is only for WPers, no ROTC cadets can attend nor any other member of the service...My battalion does some training at smitth so tht is how I know.

cornbread

7 March 2004, 12:05

mmm, maybe that is how they do it now but when i was in ROTC before comming to west point a friend of mine got a slot to go to AA at smith...while i was going through beast, he was getting Air Assault qualified a couple miles away.

Sammy Sandbag

7 March 2004, 12:51

Hey Sammy, I'm going 1st reg, know anything about how many they give out then and how many cadets actually are taken? Plus, what is going on with AA in HA now that the 25th is deployed...is the school still open? Will they offer slots to Campbell?

I wouldn't know how many slots there will be this year and for what school. The deployments might effect it, who knows. Last year the war was in full effect and they were still giving them out, even to Hawaii. They probably won't even know the exact availability until a week or two into camp. When you inprocess, they'll ask you if you'd like to volunteer for follow on training. BTW, where the fuck is "HA"? Maybe you should study this. (http://www.usps.com/ncsc/lookups/usps_abbreviations.html)

Also, Camp Smith is only for WPers, no ROTC cadets can attend nor any other member of the service...My battalion does some training at smitth so tht is how I know.

That isn't true. The AA school there is open to ROTC cadets, not many go, but it is open to them.

roger29

7 March 2004, 13:42

Sorry, HI...

News to me about Camp Smith...We are the closest ROTC program to Smith and have tried a number of times to get slots there...all no go's. Shit, from my house it's a ten minute drive, I don't even need to be given housing or food, just can drive up every morning.

Sammy Sandbag

7 March 2004, 13:46

We are the closest ROTC program to Smith and have tried a number of times to get slots there.

That's probably why. The Army doesn't like to send soldiers to training near their homes. They do this to cut down on soldiers going AWOL.

roger29

7 March 2004, 15:08

Good call Sammy...

I hope I can get a slot outta LDAC.

Ckim715

8 March 2004, 00:05

I'm praying I got an airborne slot; we find out this week

SWATJester

15 April 2004, 10:47

FullMetalJacket

10 February 2005, 13:50

The 12 mile road march must be completed in like 3 hours, and I've done a couple of 12 milers and without any running at all, ended up at like 2 hours 30 minutes.

Sorry to bump an ancient thread, but I'm talking to my cadre later today about getting an AA slot this summer.

But what I wonder is, how the living fuck did you complete the road march so quickly? How do people do things like that?

By that I mean, we had a 10K ruck run for Ranger Company this past fall...it was the fourth or fifth one I'd done, not counting the daily ruck runs in Ranger Challenge. But for the whole thing I alternated between running and doing the "Ranger shuffle," both of which are faster than walking, and I got beaten by the two fattest guys in Ranger Company -- both of whom literally walked the whole thing. WTF? I don't even see how that's possible. Neither of those guys have even passed the APFT and I have, so how did they smoke my ass by WALKING?!

Gambit

10 February 2005, 15:15

Ummm... did you get lost?!?

neo

10 February 2005, 16:41

Seriously I used to run my 2 miler in about 15 minutes. Not to fast obviously. But, they loved me on Ranger Challenge because I would always out do everyone else in the ruck march/run, even the guys who ran the 2 miler in 11 minutes. How? I grew up my whole life backpacking with my dad, that coupled with my height made a ruck run easy as hell for me. I used to be able to walk the 10K road march in full battle rattle in an hour to an hour five. When I was at NALC I would always carry the radio plus a few more pounds of gear from others.

Some people are just naturally made to backpack/ruck. Don't know why but that was always way easier on me then a regular run was. Give me an option between running a 2 miler and walking a 10K ruck march and I will take the later every single time.

HerdROTC

10 February 2005, 17:03

Holy Crap, I thought I was alone. I am the same way Neo. I think it was from playing football and hockey my whole life instead of backpacking though. My runs are in the low 15's, but I can always handle 2 rucks and stuff when we do the litter carries and stuff for RC.

Ezmartini

10 February 2005, 17:27

I can surprise a lot of people when I ruck. I'm pretty skinny (6'2" and 165-170 lbs.) and I run an 11:30 mile (if I try my hardest), but I'm also pretty good at rucking. I think the biggest factor is mental, which I attribute to four years of cross country.

As neo said, it also helps if you're used to backpacking.

Sammy Sandbag

10 February 2005, 17:37

Give me an option between running a 2 miler and walking a 10K ruck march and I will take the later every single time.

You and me both.

Gambit

10 February 2005, 17:44

It does have a lot to do with your muscular build... one thing the Army is apparently looking at is how the PT test is great for general fitness, but doesn't really show you who can do well with 50+ pounds of crap hanging off of you. Likewise, the cadre here at Hopkins tell me all the time how frustrating it is when athletes can bench a bazillion piunds, but can't run fast for shit.

Aries

10 February 2005, 18:09

yeah. it doesnt really make sense. i had a girl (yeah i said it) who i smoked on the 2 mile beat me on the 12 mile. here is my advice:

if there are hills, run down them, walk up them. run the first mile or so.. dont try and kill yourself, just get a comfortable pace going.

I ran the first mile, then jogged as much as i could. if you see a shitload of lightpoles use those as well.

its really not that hard. 12 miles, 15 minute mile pace. doesnt matter what time you finish in, just as long as you finish. IM me if you have any questions

Air Assault! Death From Above
Camp Smith - CLASS 01-03
Deadly Killers From the Sky
Air Assault!!

FullMetalJacket

10 February 2005, 19:09

Ummm... did you get lost?!?

No. That's what doesn't make sense. Regardless of whether or not any of us was naturally built for backpacking-type things, I spent the entire time moving at a faster pace than they were, and never stopped to walk, and yet they walked the entire time and beat me. Does this make sense?

...I'm sure their rucks were lighter, though. :wink:

Associate289

10 February 2005, 19:18

killernurse

10 February 2005, 19:21

*zing*

CDT_TEX

10 February 2005, 20:05

I heart ruckmarching, being 6-3 212 helps a lot. I'd rather hump with a ruck all day than run.

---TEX

neo

10 February 2005, 21:01

And the general speaks

FullMetalJacket

10 February 2005, 21:20

let me get this straight, you spent the entire time at a faster pace than them, didnt get lost, and you finished after them... hmmm.... wait ive got it, you found a wormhole in the galaxy that transported you further back on the course

Hell, at this point that's all I can think of. 8)

God, I hate ruckmarching. I'd rather run ten miles unencumbered for an hour and a half than ruck for even five minutes.

Aries

10 February 2005, 22:14

shit.. when i was in shape if you told me I was either going to run two miles or ruck 12?

I was in PTs at the start line. its all about being able to get done sooner. ill do 2 6:30 miles rather than doing 12 15:00 miles.

Ezmartini

10 February 2005, 22:31

amen

HerdROTC

10 February 2005, 22:33

gimme the ruck

Aries

10 February 2005, 22:47

MAJ Kubik: Turner when the sun is shining you are one of my best soldiers out here. But if it rains, and you got a ruck on... I dont want you in my unit

Gambit

11 February 2005, 03:07

I'd rather hump with a ruck all day than run.

Bad image, man, bad image.

neo

11 February 2005, 09:55

MAJ Kubik: Turner when the sun is shining you are one of my best soldiers out here. But if it rains, and you got a ruck on... I dont want you in my unit

And that says it all doesn't it?

Aries

11 February 2005, 10:20

haha.. i was the best TL out there when we were doing the mission (we didnt walk around with rucks all day like idiots back there) but if i had a ruck on, i hated life. i have lower back problems and running up hill and rucks kinda fucks tht up. but i still wanna backpack across europe

FullMetalJacket

11 February 2005, 12:30

neo

11 February 2005, 14:00

Same here. Well, more like 2 7:40 miles. :P

*In Corky voice* Yeah for mediocrity!

FullMetalJacket

11 February 2005, 15:07

Same here. Well, more like 2 7:40 miles. :P

*In Corky voice* Yeah for mediocrity!

I have good shoes and run like 5 miles every day at about a 28-minute clip, in addition to going to PT, but no matter what I do, I can't seem to cut my run time down.

Associate289

11 February 2005, 16:02

let me get this straight, you can run 5 miles in 28 minutes, but you do the 2 miler in over 15 minutes? so when you're running, you do the first 2 miles in 15, and the next 3 in 13?

Ezmartini

11 February 2005, 16:10

FMJ, try alternating your workouts between

-Slow Distance (long and slow)
-Track interval (400 fast, 400 recover, 800 fast, 800 recover, 16 fast and so on
-Fast medium distance (4 miles at a brisk pace)

FullMetalJacket

11 February 2005, 18:08

kgbduck

15 March 2005, 03:33

if you get a choice (you probably won't anyway) try to go to campbell. I went there last summer and since they don't get a lot of cadets they put you up in a nearby motel instead of barracks :D

Also make sure you can do the rope climb, that was the number 1 cause of failure among people there, but the good news is that once you pass the obstical course you don't have much more to worry about (only 3 or 4 people out of our 150+ class failed the ruck run, and no cadets who passed the obsticale course failed.)

Aries

15 March 2005, 09:01

but the good news is that once you pass the obstical course you don't have much more to worry about

except for break area drills and getting smoked for the next 2 weeks

kgbduck

16 March 2005, 23:08

but the good news is that once you pass the obstical course you don't have much more to worry about

except for break area drills and getting smoked for the next 2 weeks

shhhh!! your supposed to leave that as a suprise :wink: