JOINT BASE ANACOSTIA-BOLLING, Washington, D.C. — Three Airmen with the 11th Security Forces Squadron earned the Army Air Assault Badge following successful completion of the Sabalauski Air Assault School at Fort Campbell, Tennesee.
Staff Sgt. Zackary Lee Artibee, non-commissioned officer in charge of reports and analysis, Senior Airman James Daniels, patrolman, and 2nd Lt. Juan Garcia, a flight commander of the 11th SFS are now qualified in air mobile operations, helicopter insertion and extraction, sling load rigging, and rappelling techniques.
The Air Assault Course covers 10 days of instruction, tactical training and assessments. It begins with day zero, where candidates must pass a two-mile run, a timed equipment layout, and an obstacle course.
“We knew pretty quickly that attention to detail was important,” shared Artibee. “On day zero there was a bag drag that included a 30-item inspection. If you were missing a single item, you were automatically dropped from the course, sent back to your home station and your commander was notified.”
Those who pass day zero continue into three phases of instruction: air assault operations, sling load procedures and rappelling all while also completing multiple written exams. The course concludes with a 12-mile ruck march with gear, which needs to be completed in under three hours.
“There were a lot of late nights,” said Garcia. “People think the physical part is the hardest, but honestly, the academics were just as intense. It was like drinking from a fire hose.”
The nomination process for the course includes a supervisor recommendation, and an Army fitness and endurance test. Being well-rounded in strength and endurance, as well as academic discipline, are paramount to qualifying for and completing the course.
“There were definitely moments when we thought we couldn’t make it,” Daniels said. “But we had a saying, ‘Meal by meal, day by day.’ That mindset helped us keep going.”
The team shared that one of the biggest challenges was the inspections, which required participants to assess equipment for flaws.
“We had two minutes to identify deficiencies in four different sling loads,” said Garcia. “If you missed more than one, you were done. That timer was no joke, and it was very nerve-wracking.”
The Airmen pushed through each difficult challenge, knowing that if they could just make it to the final ruck march, that graduation would be right around the corner.
“Twelve miles in under three hours with a 35-pound ruck,” said Artibee. “We knew anything could go wrong. You could twist your ankle, drop an item, get dehydrated. I wasn’t fully relieved until I crossed that finish line and knew I was graduating.”
The team made it a point to do their best and finish together. They felt that by getting the opportunity to go to air assault school, failing to make it to graduation would make it unlikely for JBAB to participate on a larger scale in the upcoming years.
“We weren’t just doing it for ourselves,” Garcia said. “We were the first from our unit to go. If we failed, it might’ve closed the door for others. Wearing the badge means we represent more than ourselves. It means we showed what Air Force security forces is capable of.”
As challenging as the course was, the trio of Airmen felt they had something to prove.
“We want people to know this is possible,” said Daniels. “It’s not just for Army. We’re proof that Airmen can do this and excel.”
The example set by these three Airmen demonstrates what is possible when preparation, discipline, and peer support align. Their success marks a significant achievement for the JBAB security forces community and highlights the value of developing individual capabilities that further mission readiness and lethality.
“Next time,” Garcia added, “We want to open it up to the whole base, not just security forces. If you’re willing to put in the work, we want you with us.”
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