Military parachute riggers
Militaries around the world train their own parachute riggers to support their airborne or paratrooper forces. These military riggers also pack parachutes for aerial delivery operations, through which military supplies and equipment are delivered by aircraft to combat zones.
Australian Defence Force
Parachute riggers in the Australian Army are responsible for the preparation, maintenance and supply of parachutes and other aerial delivery components.
Prior to commencing the parachute rigger course, all trainees must be static-line parachute qualified. Parachute riggers frequently make parachute jumps, and at any time may be required to jump with any parachute they have packed. This is to help them better understand how the equipment they prepare and maintain works, and to help ensure that each parachute is professionally packed to a safe standard.
Canadian Forces
Riggers in the Canadian Forces train at the Canadian Army Advanced Warfare Centre at CFB Trenton in Trenton, Canada.
When Canada entered the airborne world with the creation of two airborne battalions in 1942, all the would-be jumpers were trained at Fort Benning, Georgia or Ringway, UK. Later, however, the flow of reinforcements for the parachute battalions posed an acute problem and it was decided to remedy this situation by training paratroopers in Canada. In May 1943, a Canadian Parachute Training Centre was formed in Shilo, Manitoba. With background knowledge in American and British parachuting techniques, Canadian trainers were able to develop a truly Canadian method of parachuting by incorporating the best features of both the American and British systems. Following several name and location changes, the school was moved to Edmonton in 1970 as the Canadian Airborne Centre (CABC) and then moved to Trenton in August 1996, becoming the Canadian Parachute Centre (CPC). On 1 April 1998 the former Canadian Forces Parachute Maintenance Depot (CFPMD) was amalgamated into CPC as Support Company.
On 1 April 2006 the renaming of CPC to CFLAWC began a transformation that was more than just another name change. CFLAWC became the Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Land Advanced Warfare, in addition to its previous focus on delivery of training. To meet the new challenges and added responsibilities, CFLAWC is currently organized with a Command team, Training Company, Support Company with the Canadian Forces Parachute Team (CFPT - the SkyHawks) and a Headquarters Company that includes the Standards Section, the Airborne Trials and Evaluation Section (ATES) and the Unit Orderly Room (UOR). Training Company is organized into four subject matter expert (SME) platoons for the conduct of the majority of the courses at CFLAWC. Support Company is based on the old CFPMD structure and provides the CF with parachute packing and maintenance services including the major repair of parachutes and associated aerial delivery equipment. Support Company is also responsible for training all parachute rigger specialists in the CF. It traces its roots to 1943 as part of the Canadian Army Parachute Training Centre. In those early days, parachute trainees were taught to pack their own parachutes, but this system was soon discarded as impractical and the packing and maintenance of parachutes became a centralized operation. Since its formation, Support Company has changed its name from 28 Central Ordnance Depot to 28 Canadian Forces Supply Depot in 1968, and upon the move from Camp Shilo, MB to Edmonton, AB in 1970, was given the name Canadian Forces Parachute Maintenance Depot. All riggers are jumpers and can be asked at any time to jump with a parachute they have packed.
CFLAWC currently delivers, as part of the Army National Individual Training Calendar, the following courses: the Arctic Operations Advisor Course, Drop Zone/ Landing Zone Controller, Aerial Delivery, Basic Helicopter Operations, Basic Parachuting, Jump Master, Parachute Instructor, Static Line Square Parachuting, the three different phases of Parachute Rigger training, the Advanced Mountain Operations Course, the Helicopter Insertion Instructor Course, Military Freefall Parachuting, Military Freefall Jump Master, Military Freefall Parachute Instructor and a revised Patrol Pathfinder Course.
Parachute Riggers/Packers in training attend the 15-day Basic Parachute qualification course at CFB Trenton, and then for approximately 2.5–3 years undertake three different 45-day courses that cover maintaining parachutes, packing parachutes, and quality control of parachutes.
United States Armed Forces
Riggers have played an important role in the American military since the advent of the use of the parachute for aerial insertion of troops, supplies, and equipment into combat zones. In addition to the maroon beret worn by paratroopers in airborne units, riggers are authorized the wear of a distinctive red baseball cap as their military headgear when on rigger duties.
U.S. Army
When the U.S. Army formed its first paratrooper unit in 1940, a parachute test platoon, the paratroopers themselves prepared and took care of their own parachutes. The test platoon had only 3 men, two enlisted soldiers and one warrant officer, from the Army Air Corps serving as the precursors of the U.S. Army's parachute riggers.
When the U.S. Army created five Airborne divisions for World War II, the U.S. Army stopped training paratroopers on how to pack their own chutes and started support organizations for parachute packing and rigging. The first riggers received their training at Fort Moore, Georgia.
After 1950, the U.S. Army assigned the Quartermaster Corps with the mission of aerial delivery, including parachute rigging. A parachute rigger course was established at the U.S. Army Quartermaster School at Fort Gregg-Adams in 1951, and has continued since then.
Airborne Orientation Course. For students completing basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, preparation for Airborne and rigger training begins before even departing for Fort Gregg-Adams with attendance at the post's Aiborne Orientation Course. According to an Army News Service story, "while most of the course involves physical training, soldiers are also familiarized with such Airborne operations as parachute landing falls, rigging equipment and actions in the aircraft." The AOC has raised the success rate for soldiers subsequently attending Airborne training from 60 percent to 89 percent.[1]
From AOC, rigger recruits go to Airborne School at Fort Moore, Georgia. If a rigger recruit does not pass Airborne School, that soldier is reclassified.
The U.S. Army MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) designation for parachute riggers is graded in five skill levels, from 92R1P to 92R5P. Prior to fiscal year 2003, it was 43E2P. Recruits are designated 92R0P.[2]
After Airborne School, 92R0P recruits head to Fort Lee to attend the 13-week Parachute Rigger Course. The course provides training on inspecting, packing, rigging, recovering, storing, and maintaining air item equipment. It is divided into three phases. Air Drop Phase - Includes instruction in cargo parachute packing, rigging supplies and equipment for airdrop, types and limitations of aircraft. Students become proficient in the use of the various technical manuals for rigging airdrop loads. At the conclusion of the instruction, the students participate in an airdrop exercise. They pack the cargo parachutes, rig the loads to be dropped and place the loads in the aircraft.[3] After the airdrop, the students recover the loads and equipment. Aerial Equipment Repair Phase - Trains fundamentals and procedures of inspection, classification, and repair of maintenance of personnel, cargo, extraction parachutes and airdrop equipment to include the service of High Altitude Low Opening (HALO) Automatic Ripcord Release (ARR). Parachute Pack Phase - Is designed to equip students with the working knowledge of inspection and packing procedures relative to personnel, light cargo and extraction parachutes. The student receives concentrated instruction on the troop back parachute. The student is required to jump the parachute he/she packed during the examination. Throughout the course, the student is constantly reminded of the fact that all parachutes must be packed with meticulous care to insure proper functioning. Any malfunction could result in death or in equipment loss.
All U.S. Army parachute riggers are required to be Airborne qualified, and by tradition are required to be prepared to jump any parachute packed by any U.S. Army parachute rigger, without checking the log book for the name of the rigger who last prepared it. The official motto of the U.S. Army parachute rigger is: "I will be sure always."
Service members from other branches of the U.S. Armed Forces also attend parachute rigger courses at Fort Lee.
U.S. Air Force
United States Air Force parachute riggers are trained at Sheppard AFB in Texas. The career field is classified under "Aircrew Flight Equipment."[4] Airmen attend a 3½-month course learning to inspect, pack, and repair emergency parachutes, as well as a wide variety of other types of aircrew equipment. Once graduated from this technical school, students are assigned to a duty location where they are further instructed using on the job training.[5] USAF aerial delivery riggers (2T2X1) packed training airdrop loads for airlift units. In recent years, Aerial Delivery Air Force riggers have been replaced by contract civilian employees since the mission does not require deployment overseas, and instead consists of supporting training missions at home station.[6]
In mid-2009, the U.S. Air Force's 98th Virtual Uniform Board announced "Airmen earning and awarded the Army Parachute Riggers badge are authorized permanent wear on all uniform combinations. For the airman battle uniform and the battle dress uniform, the badge will be blue."[7] Previous guidance had limited the wear of the badge to airmen attached to U.S. Army rigger units.
History
The Parachute Materials School was first established in 1924 at Lakehurst, New Jersey by two U.S. Navy chief petty officers. Parachute Rigger, or "PR", became an enlisted job rating in 1942, but the name changed during the 1960s to Aircrew Survival Equipmentman.
Training
The United States Navy parachute riggers are now trained at Naval Air Station Pensacola during a 12-week (55-training-day) school. When they graduate, they do become PRs, but the rating is called Aircrew Survival Equipmentman. While in school they go through nine courses: three courses of "Common Core" skills over 19 days, three courses of Organizational-Level skills for 17 days, and finishing with three courses of Intermediate-Level skills for 19 days. The first week is a course taught on materials manufacturing using the Consew 206RB-5 industrial sewing machine, dubbed by students and instructors alike as "Combat Rigger Sewing" or simply "Combat Sewing". Students will manufacture a "rigger bag" completely from scratch and will learn about tool control. The next course is NB-8 parachutes, where students will learn basics of parachute rigging, inspection cycles and nomenclature. This is followed by a course of general survival equipment named ESE. Then "O" strand begins with Survival I Fixed Wing, followed by Survival II Rotary Wing, where students learn inspection and maintenance concepts unique to squadron level work. The final "O" level subject is Survival Radios. "I" strand will start with NES-12 ballistic parachute, the Navy's most complicated parachute system, for advanced rigging concepts. Seat Survival Kits and Life Preservers finish out the entire course of instruction, where they will graduate upon completion. The PR "A" School House graduates one class every seven training days. The Navy Enlisted Classification Code (NEC) of 7356-Aircrew Survival Equipmentman (IMA) Technician is awardable upon completion of advanced C-level training.
During the entire time of study students will undergo physical training at least three times a week, be subjected to rigorous inspections every Monday, and will march to and from the building, being accountable for showing up on time, cleanliness, and homework. No student is allowed to continue in the course if their grade average falls below a 90, making it one of the most challenging courses at the Naval Aviation Technical Training Center. Equivalence to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) parachute riggers is determined by years of service and/or number of parachutes packed. Generally, a Navy/Marine PR3(E-4) with three years experience is equivalent to an FAA "Senior Parachute Rigger", and a PR2(E-5) equivalent to an FAA "Master Parachute Rigger". Military students without a rigger logbook will have to provide proof of experience. An original statement providing rating/rank description and time-in-service on a unit letterhead signed by the Commander, Division Officer, or Supervisor will be required for FAA licensing.[8]
Profession
After finishing A-school, PR's will be assigned to their first duty station. This will likely be a Sea-Duty tour, however some personnel are assigned to a shore unit. A sea tour may require working with an F/A-18 Hornet squadron or on an aircraft carrier. Shore tours involve supporting sea-going commands at facilities around the world including NAS Whidbey Island, NAS Jacksonville, Naval Station Norfolk, Naval Station San Diego, NAS Lemoore, Naval Support Activity Bahrain and others. Most PR's will perform the inspection and repair of Aviation Life Support Systems equipment that includes life preservers, life rafts, parachutes, oxygen hoses and regulators, ejection seats, radios, medical equipment and supplies, safety flares, mountaineering equipment, cold weather equipment and other items related to the survival of aviators who may eject or egress from their aircraft in unfavorable conditions.
Special Operations Parachute Riggers assist Naval Special Warfare (NSW), US Navy SEALs, and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) units throughout the world. They inspect, maintain, pack, and use specialized premeditated personnel static-line and free-fall parachute systems. They use and maintain specialized aerial delivery and re-supply systems, and helicopter insertion and extraction systems unique to NSW and EOD units. They function as Parachute Jump (P.J.) and Helicopter Rope Suspension Techniques (HRST) masters. They also perform paraloft management, administrative functions, ordnance handling functions, and Quality Assurance (Q.A.) inspections.
The Navy Enlisted Classification Code (NEC) of 7353-Special Operations Parachute Rigger is awardable upon completion of Army courses 431 F3 PARA NAVY or 860 43E10. Special Operations Parachute Rigger NEC OJT is awardable if personnel attached to a rigger unit of EOD for 1 year and observed by Army/Navy school graduate and qualified prior to 1 July 1990.[9] Personnel other than Parachute Riggers must hold NEC 53XX to be assigned this NEC
There are a select few who perform duties as a Special Operations Parachute Rigger. The minimum prerequisite qualifications are graduating the Basic Airborne course at Fort Benning, GA and the EOD Rigger course at Fort Lee, Virginia. Although their primary duty is to maintain parachuting equipment, many go on to achieve greater qualifications such as Static Line Jumpmaster, Military Free Fall Parachutist, Military Free Fall Jumpmaster, Air Load Planner, Hazardous Cargo Certifier, FAA Master Parachute Rigger, Rappel Master, and Fast Rope Master.
USMC parachute riggers
US Marine Corps parachute riggers hold a primary MOS of 0451 (Air Delivery Specialist) and serve predominantly with an Air Delivery Platoon that is resident within each Marine division’s logistic group. Air Delivery Specialists also serve in other USMC units that have an airborne capability such as reconnaissance units (both division and force level), US Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, and Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Companies. Air Delivery Specialist assigned to any of the aforementioned units, provide additional combat support as they are integrated into those formation's quick reaction force.
Air Delivery Specialists attend the U.S. Army Basic Airborne Course, and afterwards, the U.S. Army Parachute Rigger course.
U.S. Coast Guard
U.S. Coast Guard Aviation Survival Technicians (ASTs) inspect and maintain all personnel and aerial delivery parachutes. The AST rating was originally formed when the U.S. Coast Guard combined Parachute Rigger (PR) and Aviation Ordnanceman (AO) in 1968 forming the Aviation Survivalman (ASM) rating. All U.S. Coast Guard ASMs trained at NATTC Lakehurst, NJ until 1979 when the USCG ATTC, Elizabeth City, NC opened ASM "A" school. In the late 1990s the Coast Guard renamed the rating Aviation Survival Technician (AST).