Maintenance window scheduled to begin at February 14th 2200 est. until 0400 est. February 15th

(e.g. yourname@email.com)

Forgot Password?

    Defense Visual Information Distribution Service Logo

    2d Recon Bn increases their mission readiness with jump training

    2d Recon Bn increases their mission readiness with jump training

    Photo By Sgt. Clemente Garcia | A Marine from 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion exits an aircraft at Skydive Paraclete XP...... read more read more

    RAEFORD, NORTH CAROLINA, UNITED STATES

    11.16.2016

    Story by Sgt. Clemente Garcia 

    II Marine Expeditionary Force   

    The tail to a humming aircraft opens up and Marines with 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion begin to plunge from thousands of feet up in the air. These Marines conducted freefall training during a Tandem Offset Resupply Delivery System Course with the Marine Corps Airborne Mobile Training Team from Quantico, Va. from 20 Oct. to 5 Nov. at Skydive Paraclete XP in Raeford, N.C.

    The course is a two-week training event where Marines practice jumping from an aircraft into a drop zone with additional personnel and equipment.

    The course is split into two portions. The first portion covers the Tandem Offset Resupply Delivery System Equipment while the second is the Tandem Offset Resupply Delivery System Personnel portion.

    “The purpose of TORDS is to give the unit the ability to jump into a drop zone with non-freefall personnel,” said Staff Sgt. Daniel Burnap, a military freefall team leader with 2nd Recon Bn. “This capability comes into play when you have support personnel who are not airborne qualified that may need to join a recon team on a mission.”

    During the TORDSE portion of the course, Marines practice jumping into a drop zone with military gear and supplies.

    “It allows a single person to be able to jump in with up to 500 extra pounds of gear for his team that’s doing any type of mission to sustain operations longer,” said Burnap. “If a unit needs a resupply, a Marine can jump in extra water, ammunition or even blood and IVs.”
    Five Marines conducted the TORDSP portion of the course, and 10 Marines conducted the TORDSE portion of the course. The Marines received about 30 hours of classroom instruction. During the course Marines fell from 12,000 to 13,000 feet.

    “It is quite the adrenalin rush,” said Sgt. Thomas P. Mooney, a military freefall team leader with the unit. “You can get little bit nervous at times, but build a lot of trust and confidence with other guys your jumping with since we sit in the same classes and we go through all the same training. You begin to really rely on them and you know that everything is going to be fine.”

    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 11.16.2016
    Date Posted: 11.16.2016 10:27
    Story ID: 214747
    Location: RAEFORD, NORTH CAROLINA, US

    Web Views: 159
    Downloads: 3

    PUBLIC DOMAIN