Paratroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and
generally operate as part of an airborne force.
Paratroopers are used for tactical advantage as they can be
inserted into the battlefield from the air, thereby allowing them
to be positioned in areas not accessible by land. It is one of the
three types of "forced entry" strategic techniques for entering a
theater of war. The other two are by land and sea. This ability to
enter the battle from different locations allows paratroopers to
evade fortifications that are in place to prevent attack from a
specific direction, and the possible use of paratroopers forces an
army to spread their defenses to protect other areas which would
normally be safe by virtue of the geography.
A typical jump plan could be a "HALO" Type jump plan---High
Altitude Low Opening approach to GZ.
HALO parachuting is a way of inserting airborne troops into a
location where there is a possibility that enemy air defence assets
are in place. The HALO method of insertion allows troops to be
dispatched from an aircraft at an altitude in excess of 30,000 ft
(9000 m) and glide via GPS to a pre-designated position at
distances of up to 40+ miles (60 km) (dependent on wind
speeds).
Some GPS units have Jumpmaster Programmes in built to do this
(Garmin 60CXS for instance) .--not necessary for this exercise
however!
The most famous Paratrooper portrayal in the media recently
has to be "Band Of Brothers"---This contributed by Capt. Zork
----
I remember some quotes from the "Band of Brothers" TV war
series.--
2nd Lt. George Rice: Looks like you guys are going to be
surrounded. Richard Winters: We're paratroopers, Lieutenant. We're
supposed to be surrounded!
Ronald Spiers: The only hope you have is to accept the fact
that you're already dead. The sooner you accept that, the sooner
you'll be able to function as a soldier is supposed to function:
without mercy, without compassion, without remorse. All war depends
upon it.
Bill Guarnere: Once we get into combat, they only people you
can trust is yourself and the fella next to you.
Joe Toye: Hey, as long as he's a paratrooper.
Frank Perconte: How was your jump?
Pvt. Albert Blithe: Well, missed the DZ
Frank Perconte: Yeah, that goes without saying. Pvt. Albert Blithe:
I guess.
Frank Perconte: Got any souvenirs to trade?
Pvt. Albert Blithe: Huh?
Frank Perconte: [shows an armful of wristwatches]
They're all ticking, unlike their previous owners.
Richard D. Winters: [real life interview with Winters where
he quotes Mike Ranney on how Ranney answered a question his
grandson once asked him] I treasure my remark to my grandson who
asked, "Grandpa, were you a hero in the war?" Grandpa said, "No...
but I served in a company of heroes".
In the science fiction series "The Hitchikers Guide To The
Universe" which relates to this theme of falling towards earth is
the comment on the art of flying--- "To fly, one must aim at the
ground and miss. To miss you have to distract yourself at the last
moment."
And now for something a little different, I have a statement
that came off the back of a cereal box--
"You do not need a parachute to skydive, you only need a parachute
to be able to skydive-- again!
( a PARAprosdokian phrase, apparently--according to the cereal box
anyway )Thanks Mr. Hubbard.
Cache is a double bottle top, magnetic with logbook only BYOP