HELMETS IMPROPERLY WORN

Airborne, Paratroopers often remove their helmets and put them on just prior to jumping. During the excitement of being on a pitching plane time can be tight and helmets end up not securely fastened. We suggest that as the safety walks down his side of the plane checking his jumpers' static-lines, that each jumper holds his neck as the Safety grabs the brow of the helmet and shakes it to verify that it will not fall off during exit into the slipstream and parachute opening shock.

Until the new snap-on chinstrap arrives, the Velcroİ retention straps will require tightening for safe jump wear/exit. Another Jumpmaster reminded us that the helmet headband has to fit snug around the head to prevent wobbling. A quick helmet "shake" is not unlike what football players do prior to a NFL game. A better chinstrap would make this unnecessary.

STRENGTHENING PARATROOPER NECK MUSCLES

Before every football game, most teams do neck isometric exercises--why not Paratroopers who must hold their chin down when existing an aircraft at 150 knots? Airborne units need to integrate neck isometrics into morning PT, and while wearing Kevlarİ jump helmets during "Pre-jump" before every Airborne operation. The Paratrooper kneels in a modified pushup position. A partner holds his leg to the right/left side of the down Paratrooper's head. On command of the PT session leader, the down Paratrooper presses as hard as he can against the upright partner's leg for a 10-second count. The procedure is repeated going into the other direction. The upright partners hands are placed on the down Paratrooper's head for exercising the "up" motion neck muscles. The upright partner's hands are joined at the fingers and held under the down partner's chin for the very important downward motion muscles.

The partners switch positions for the entire series, to the "left", "right", "up" and "down". This technique is used during pre-jump with Paratroopers wearing the exact helmets they'll jump from. These exercises need to be implemented at U.S. Army Airborne School at Fort Benning, Georgia.

TOO LIGHT TO JUMP?

During the Vietnamese wars, South Vietnamese Paratroopers were given sand bags to have adequate weight for jumping cleanly from fast-moving military aircraft. What is the bare minimum weight for jumping? 120 lbs? 130? Whatever it is, we need to find out and stick to it. This is not a "gender" or equal opportunity (EO) issue--the laws of physics do not respect political correctness. One of the greatest Paratroopers of all time was a French female nurse who jumped into the besieged fortress of Dien Bien Phu--she saved hundreds of lives and is the only revered guest of honor at the French Foreign Legion's annual dinner. They even have 82d Airborne female Paratrooper dolls now!

If you are under the minimum weight, LBE/ETLBV-TLBV, Kevlarİ PASGT flak jackets etc. need to be added to get the desired weight. In my opinion all jumps should be with some sort of combat equipment, especially for those needing the weight. These people should be at the end of the stick jumping just before the Jumpmaster.

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