Airborne School
Fort Moore, (Georgia, USA) – This year, members of the Brazilian Army completed the Basic Airborne Course, Jumpmaster Course and Parachute Rigger Course at the US Army’s Airborne and Rigger School. The courses prepare soldiers to lead airborne operations and use parachutes in various situations, such as combat infiltration.
The completion of the courses, by Captains Moyses da Silva De Paula and Vinícius Pacheco, and Second Sergeants Herbert Ferreira Conceição and Lucas de Moura Araújo, testifies to the dedication and competence of the Brazilian Army.
The Basic Airborne Course lasts three weeks, divided into three phases: Ground Week, which teaches essential techniques for exiting the aircraft and landing safely; Tower Week, which develops the reflexes needed to perform aerial procedures safely; and Jump Week, when the knowledge acquired is applied in practice, with five semi-automatic jumps from C-130 Hercules and C-17 Globemaster aircraft.
This last phase aims to develop leadership, self-confidence and an aggressive spirit. The Americans who completed the course were joined by soldiers from Bangladesh, Lebanon, Mexico and Brazil.
At a more advanced level, the Jumpmaster Course enables students to carry out specialist parachute missions. During the three-week course, students receive instruction on individual and collective aerial equipment, aircraft used by paratroopers, as well as the duties of the Jumpmaster in training, preparing and conducting aerial activities.
Students are subjected to rigorous theoretical and practical assessments and must achieve an average of more than 70% in nomenclature tests, pre-jump briefings, written tests, personnel inspections, practical work in the aircraft and safety procedures. Only 29 of the 51 students enrolled were successful in the Jumpmaster Course, including the two Brazilian representatives.
The Parachute Rigger Course develops techniques for preparing medium and heavy loads, folding parachute loads and using equipment used in the airdrop of supplies. Over the course of five weeks, the course covers the technical and operational issues involved in precision airdropping. Around 50 students completed the course, including Captain Vinícius Pacheco and Sergeant Herbert, from the Brazilian Army.
Captain Vinícius Pacheco explained how the knowledge acquired at the US Army Rigger School will contribute to the missions of the Parachute Infantry Brigade. “Having contact with advanced techniques in parachute activity and, above all, in the airdrop of supplies, has made a significant contribution to further improving our work in the Parachute Folding, Parachute Maintenance and Air Supply Battalion in humanitarian actions, such as Operation Catrimani II, in support of indigenous peoples in the north of the country, and Operation Taquari II, in support of the populations affected by the floods in the south.”
The participation of Brazilian military personnel in parachute courses in the United States is part of a larger effort of international cooperation and continuous professional development within the Armed Forces. The exchange reinforces the importance of preparing military leaders to operate in complex and ambiguous environments, promoting global security and collaboration between allied nations. In addition to maintaining a standard of military excellence, the exchange in international courses strengthens bilateral relations between friendly nations.