Enough Time to be a Skydiver?

[UKSoldier]

Just a quick question really as it's something i've been wondering for a while. Will i be able to continue as a civilian skydiver 'when' i get in the paras? Obviously work commitments will always come first when i'm in but was just wondering if it still leaves time to do stuff like skydiving?

[Spooky]

Are you already a soldier...?

The Para's have a freefall team you could try for I guess.

[ben1]

I'de imagine so, obviously work will be there first but in your own time I imagine you could do as you wanted, I'm sure when I was reading about the para's in the booklet they send you when your interested that there was a skydiving display team or something like that, theres definately something that involves skydiving but what it is I'm not 100% as it was quite a while ago when I was lookin to do the para's, I know, or I think I know on a DVD I have about the SAS that if you become a pathfinder they skydive, not easy obviously either but I'm sure they do skydiving! anyway hope you find out officialy, just thought I would post with what I sort of know!

[SO19]

http://www.reddevilsonline.com/

[UKSoldier]

Yeah, i know about the red devils and as soon as i've completed my first 2 years i'll be applying. I was more interested in whether i'd get any time to jump as a civvy at civvy dropzones. This is my passion and it would be great if i got enough time to continue

Are you already a soldier...?

Not yet, I'm hoping to make the January intake if Glasgow pull their fingers out and send down my old service records in time. Busy guys though so i wont hold my breath!!

[Spooky]

Yeah, i know about the red devils and as soon as i've completed my first 2 years i'll be applying. I was more interested in whether i'd get any time to jump as a civvy at civvy dropzones. This is my passion and it would be great if i got enough time to continue

Are you already a soldier...?

Not yet, I'm hoping to make the January intake if Glasgow pull their fingers out and send down my old service records in time. Busy guys though so i wont hold my breath!!

Probably should have picked a more appropriate username then. The right to call yourself a soldier is something earned, not taken.

But whats that service records bit about if your not a soldier?

[UKSoldier]

I see your point, i shall cease my use of the name UKSoldier until i have passed out.

[Alfa]

Since you get weekends and evenings to yourself, when not on exercise/operations I don't see why you wouldn't be able to carry on with youe sky diving.

I know, or I think I know on a DVD I have about the SAS that if you become a pathfinder they skydive, not easy obviously either but I'm sure they do skydiving!

That would be HALO, it's totally different than sky diving.

I'm hoping to make the January intake if Glasgow pull their fingers out and send down my old service records in time.

The January intake is already full so bad luck matey.

Have you passed RSC etc.. or do you still need to do a few other things to complete you're application? Have you been in the army before?

[UKSoldier]

The January intake is already full so bad luck matey.

Buggar!

Have you passed RSC etc.. or do you still need to do a few other things to complete you're application?

Can't do c@#t my stuff is back down from Glasgow. It was sent for about 6 weeks ago but they still haven't returned it. I'm going on the insight course next week though so i think that will give them a good idea if i'm good enough or not. Hopefully will be though, i'm training my arse off.

Have you been in the army before?

Not as such, i started off in the OTC when i was at uni in Swansea but transferred to RMRE (TA) after a few months as the OTC treated us like a bunch of pansies. I left there when i left uni 3 years ago.

I won't carry on posting with this username as i can see how it might cause offence. Spooky is right, it's a right to be earned and not taken. Sorry guys (and gals).

Alfa,
Any idea when the next available intake is? Hopefuly i'll stand a chance of making that one

[Gravityguy]

That would be HALO, it's totally different than sky diving

HALO along with HAHO IS skydiving. HALO (High Altitude Low Opening) involves jumping from very high altitudes like 30-35k. You are in freefall in a belly to earth position and it most definatly classes as Skydiving. HAHO (High Altitude High Opening) is the similar but opening very high to avoid being heard. The parachutist then glides in to the dz (upto 50 miles from opening) guided by gps. These are generally military terms but civvies can also do halo jumps at the right places. So HALO is definately skydiving. Something i hope to be doing myself in the near future.

This is my new username by the way

Mike

[Alfa]

That would be HALO, it's totally different than sky diving

HALO along with HAHO IS skydiving. HALO (High Altitude Low Opening) involves jumping from very high altitudes like 30-35k. You are in freefall in a belly to earth position and it most definatly classes as Skydiving. HAHO (High Altitude High Opening) is the similar but opening very high to avoid being heard. The parachutist then glides in to the dz (upto 50 miles from opening) guided by gps. These are generally military terms but civvies can also do halo jumps at the right places. So HALO is definately skydiving. Something i hope to be doing myself in the near future.

This is my new username by the way

Mike

Fair point but I alway think of Sky Diving as a sport.

I know what HALO and HAHO are and that they're not exclusively for military. The reason I said it's different is because when the military jump they usually jump carrying all their kit etc.. so it's much tougher than a jump for sport which is usually more about the thrill and adrenaline rush.

As for when the next available intake I have no idea but I heard that there were only a few places left on the Febuary intake too so they won't last long. You're probably looking at March or April depends on how long it's going to take to get your application moving.

[Gravityguy]

Cheers for that Alfa, i'll just have to keep pestering the AFCO and hope that they get a move on.

I think you can log military skydives in your civvie log book as long as you have used a ram air canopy and not the rounds used for the static line jumps. I'll have a look at the BPA Operations Manual when i'm at work tomorrow though and make sure i'm not talking out of my skinny ass

[DB Cooper]

i spent a couple of years posted to the joint service parachute centres (JSPC) in Netheravon and RAPA and all we did was skydive so if your any good speak to your RCMO and get posted to a centre if not try your luck on the Freds , the only problem with skydiving in the Army is its a carear killer and its such a good life that you dont want to be back in the unit doing promotion course's when you can be getting your knees in the breaze

[EXREG]

Why join the reg to go into the freds after 2 years?

Surely you wanna be doing promotion courses and/or snipers/machine guns/ patrols etc...Thats what being a para is about; becoming the best soldier you can be, it is in my mind anyway........

[Gravityguy]

Yeah i agree, but I also love skydiving and so want to be a Fred.

I want to join the paras because I dont want to (and won't) settle for second best. As you put it, I want to be the best soldier I can be. I have many goals that I would like to achieve in the paras, such as pathfinders and possibly SF after. I might not get them (although it won't be for lack of trying) but everyone has their own goals and ambitions.

In truth though, I still have a very long way to go before I even pass P company which is what i am concentrating on now.

Once i'm in I might even have a very different view of the things that I want to achieve

But yes, to answer your question; I do want to be the best soldier I can be but it just so happens that the red freds are paratroopers! Bonus!!