CARP
 

Hey Now easy there TR,

Right around 76/77 the AF was playing with AWADS (Adverse Weather Air Delivery System). Just think Blind CARP in shitty weather.

They needed experienced jumps because of the special nature of the jumps so SF was tagged. The way it worked was when the weather got real shitty the phones would ring, companies assembled and off we would go to jump.

The oddball in all this was the CCT had two sets of teams working against themselves. One to help the planes to the DZ and the other trying to jam them off.

The problem for us jumpers was, "Yes, the world is a drop zone but you would like to know which way to start walking when you hit the ground." Generally you would come out of the fog, mist, rain just as you hit pine trees. And there you are. Standing all alone and having absolutely not idea where you where. It would take until noon to get people rounded up from a midnight jump.

The CCT would give the DZ party their best guess as to where the green light came on and they would get over in the area and drive up and down roads. The jumpers would listen for the sound of vehicles and move in that direction. If you hit a road stay on it.

I pulled both the ground and jumping side of that detail and it was a coin flip as to which was better.

I enjoyed the pleasure of jumping both CARP and AWADS.

Done both...can't say I enjoyed them.

The Better Way
 

VGMRS!!!!! Jumpmaster spotting.

And an early green light
 

I loved the air crews you could talk into an early green light during a jumpmaster spot. First jumper well before the tree line, second jumper got out on the tree line and third would be over the release point. I would be last out and well over the tree line when I jumped.

Short DZs are not that hard but you have to make sure the more experienced jumpers are at each end.

"They give you toggles for a reason, use them."

You actually paid attention to the lights?:D

Not like they can drag you back in for failure to follow instructions or have to live with the consequences of a bad spot.

I always asked for the early green as well. We were going when the JM said GO and we weren't stopping till the last man in the stick cleared the door.

TR

Amber
 

I swear I never got out on a red light. I think there was a few times it was amber.:D

There was one ARTEP where the team leader JMed and jumped first. The TS was in the middle of the stick. Real small night time DZ and we were to assemble on him near the center of the DZ on the tree line. Commo guys were on either side of the TS because of the weight of their rucks.

I was to be last out and the Jr Eng was in front of me. The red light came on right as the TS exited. Everybody else kept going except him. He stopped just as he turned into the door. I didn't and he had a real poor body position as he exited. He also missed the DZ but I didn't.

He caught heck about toggle use and canopy control every jump after that.

Pete

That is exactly what I was referring to. The CARP SUCKED!!!

Memories of Robin Sage in 1979
 

I remember hitching a ride in a "Tom's Candy" truck. I broke my weapon down and put it into my ruck. In those days guys were getting "mugged" for their M16's way out in the sticks. Anyway, this guy pulls over and gives me about a 20 click ride plus all the oatmeal pies I could scarf down. I knew then that the "unconventional" life was for me.

I remember falling asleep with my face on the feed tray of an M60 while waiting in ambush. The flare tripped, I woke up, fired one round and the piece of sh** jammed. So much for that.

I remember setting up an LZ for a STOL Porter from Langly. That was a special treat for an E-3 like me.

Long live Pineland.

infil
 

Pain makes you remember things...

I remember standing for over 15 minutes in the plane waiting to jump into Pineland with a 100 LB plus ruck, weapon, LCE, and parachute/reserve.

Looking back on it, that was the most memorable jump I've ever done in my short army career.

Memories
 

A few auxiliary members ran a mule farm that had a litter of aussie shepherds. When we tucked tail out of our first G base, we hid in their barn, where I fell in love with a little shepherd that wouldn't leave me alone. It's been three years now and Whiskey 925, or just Whiskey, still won't leave me alone. Best dog I've ever had.