Rising to the Challenge: The trials of Air Assault try outs

CAMP ARIFJAN, KUWAIT

12.31.2023

Story by Spc. Yancy Mendoza 

Task Force Spartan

CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait – When facing the unknown, all you can do is your best.

I honestly believe that most things that hold us back are more mental than physical, and that you could achieve almost anything if you truly wanted it. With that thought; I also believe that most things you face in life can be overcome if you genuinely just give it your all, despite if you’re prepared or not.

The Air Assault try out was not that sort of thing at all.

The event was a well-defined challenge. The transparency of the process emphasized that success was not just about physical capability, but a comprehensive display of dedication and preparation.

The standards for passing and the number of slots available to go to Air Assault course were disseminated throughout our unit. If you wanted to go you knew exactly what you’d have to do, and what the odds of making the cut were.

The try outs were held in Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, and Joint Training Center, Jordan, this December.

The event was divided into two separate days. The first day was the Army Combat Fitness Test, immediately followed by a pull up competition and a 20-foot rope climb. The second day, just three days after the first events was a timed 12-mile, 35-pound weighted ruck march.

“The main objective was to set up a comprehensive test that was going to showcase the individual’s ability, strength, and endurance to go to Air Assault school and be successful physically,” said U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Franklin Crain, the non-commissioned officer in charge and main coordinator of the Air Assault try out.

Out of 103 Soldiers only 12 would be selected to fill the seats for the school, purely based on merit of score. Grim odds, even for an optimist.

I was made aware of the opportunity to attend Air Assault school in Kuwait even before I deployed back in July, and from the get-go I knew I was going to do it. Almost as soon as I got here, I started preparing.

The thing is almost everyone I had talked to had also been preparing in some way. And with the number of competitors, simply getting a passing score was not nearly enough.

DAY 1

The ACFT is broken up into six events. In order, they are the three-repetition maximum deadlift, standing power toss, hand release pushup, sprint-drag-carry, plank, and finally the two-mile run.

Failure of any single event is an immediate disqualification.

As I arrived at the meeting point for the ACFT at a ripe 5:30 A.M., I admit, I was a little nervous.

Many of the people there were extremely physically capable Soldiers. If I were to get even close to the top 12 then I’d have to leave it all on the field in every event. But not everyone had that same mindset.

“I’m the type who trains so that I’m always prepared for anything,” said 1st Lt. Sydney Gilliam, the chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear defense officer in charge with the 40th Infantry Division. “I wasn’t nervous really about anything. I love competition so it was fun for me.”

ACFT’s are conducted as a test to see where Soldiers are in terms of their physical fitness. Normally these are routine fitness assessments. This test, however, was not required of all Soldiers.

Everyone who was there chose to be there.

The determination fostered from this simple fact was almost palpable, and the balance between camaraderie and competition added a dynamic complexity. All cheered each other on to do their best on every event, but at the same time, everyone also wanted to make sure they did even better.

“During the ACFT I felt I was able to perform at a higher level than I anticipated because of the level of fitness the competitors brought,” said Spc. Kevin Rameriz, a Combat Medic with the 40th ID. “At some points I felt like I might’ve been the slowest turtle in the bunch. However, I felt pretty accomplished because it was my best ACFT test regardless.”

A handful of people dropped out at this stage; a couple Soldiers were even being sent to the hospital from how much they pushed their own limit.

Many others who made it through the test, me included, shared the same sentiment; the competition brought out their best performance.

The pull ups and rope climb were the last tasks needed to end the day.

The pull ups had to be done without any swinging or momentum from the body. Slow and controlled to truly test strength.

The ACFT had succeeded in exhausting the competitors. The pull ups following the rope climb made my arms feel like jelly, but as I approached the bottom of the 20-foot rope, I still felt confident.

The technique I utilized worked like a charm, and despite my exhaustion, I made it up the rope with relative ease. A few had not been able to get past this stage of the try outs.

At the end of that day, I knew that my preparation had not been for nothing.

DAY 2

Through the dark I could hear the faint rustling in the barracks as woke up to get ready at 2:00 A.M.

When I arrived at the starting point near the perimeter fence line of the base, I was surprised at the small cluster present. The number of people at the opening brief for the try outs were cut into almost half; 40 people had fallen out before day two.

“The limit is three hours. But honestly if you’re coming anywhere near that time, you won’t make it in,” said Crain during the opening brief of the try outs. “You should be aiming for a goal of around two hours to be competitive.”

The ruck march was 12 miles long, with a maximum time limit of three hours, start to finish. The uniform was the standard Army Combat Uniform and boots, a 35-pound rucksack and a dummy M4 rifle which weighed the same as a real one.

The ruck march was another element similar to the rope climb, candidates needed to have trained to succeed. For Gilliam, she didn’t need to prepare at all.

“I run regularly at least 10 miles a day,” said Gilliam before the ruck march. “Mileage for the ruck shouldn’t be hard, I think it’ll be fun.”

During her ACFT, she had maxed each event except the standing power throw. Despite her knowledge of her own physical ability, Gilliam didn’t want to come into the ruck overconfident. She hoped she would make it into the group selected to attend the course.

Others approached it in a similar way. It was hard to know how good everyone else was at rucking, and a lot can happen over the course of three hours.

The remaining competitors were instructed to approach the starting line.

Red light from headlamps illuminated the path through the sand. People had gathered on the sidelines to cheer the group on and send them off.

In a single phrase, the collection of participants ran toward the dark.

“Begin!”

12 Miles Out

Right out of the gate most people took off running.

It had only been five minutes in and already I was in the bottom ten of the candidates. In my preparation for the ruck, I had the tendency to go too fast at the start, causing myself to burn out close to the end, so I started relatively slow and increased speed.

I was slightly alarmed at the speed of the crowd, but everyone had their own strategy to compete.

“I wanted to keep a decent pace, so as long as I got a 10:30 per mile pace, I was good with that,” said Gilliam. “My plan was just to jog it for as long as I could.”

After she launched from the starting line, I wouldn’t see her until the halfway point.

Beside me through the first few miles was Ramirez.

“My only goal for the ruck was to finish on time,” said Rameriez. “As long as I did that then I keep myself in the race.”

By mile three, the candidates were spread out thin across the path, only small clusters of people in one or two every so often.

I picked up speed and began passing people one by one.

My legs were hurting but I pretended they didn’t. I kept my mind occupied by anything else I could think of.

On mile six, I saw Gilliam running in the opposite direction, headed for the finish line. She was in first place and was moving like she had done it a million times before.

Shortly after, I reached the halfway turn-around point, a medical van was passing by on the road.

As they pulled up, the window was down, and a shout came from inside.

“Top 20!” shouted the Soldier.

“What!?” I asked, unclear of what he said.

“You’re in the top 20!” the Soldier clarified, then the van pulled away.

With a new sense of motivation, I picked up my pace and passed a few more people.

By mile 10, the entire lower half of my body was on fire. It was a struggle to keep a slow jog. At the last corner to the finish line, I saw two people. It was the non-commissioned officers in my section waiting for me.

As soon as I turned the corner, I broke into a sprint, and they were right alongside me as I crossed the finish line.

The Results

After the try outs were conducted in Jordan, the testing cadre calculated the results. The competitors gathered in the same place where the initial brief took place, but with less than a quarter of the people present.

The roster numbers of who made it to the 12 seats available were announced starting from first place going down. In my mind, for a moment, I imagined my number being called.

It never was.

I can’t say that I was surprised. I knew my score was good, but it wasn’t enough to secure one of the coveted school spots. There are so many things I could’ve done to prepare more for the event, and while I gave it all, sometimes your all isn’t enough.

Despite not making the cut, I felt a bittersweet sense of satisfaction. Trying out for Air Assault was completely optional, and the choice to put yourself through it is your own.

Going outside of one’s comfort zone to achieve something great is a trait none should be ashamed of. If I could do it all again, the only aspect I would change is pushing even further and faster than I already had gone.

The Soldiers who made it into the top 12 dedicated themselves to preparation and are ready to tackle the Air Assault course when it comes.

“I have the utmost confidence that the individuals that we are going to be able to pull from the 40th ID and send forward to the course are going to succeed on the physical aspect of it,” said Crain.

There’s the standard. Then there’s the few that supersede the standard and achieve above and beyond the standard. The 12 candidates representing the 40th ID at the upcoming Air Assault course are those few.

• Date Taken: 12.31.2023
• Date Posted: 12.31.2023 11:15
• Story ID: 461120
• Location: CAMP ARIFJAN, KW
• Hometown: LOS ALAMITOS, CA, US