WANT to DITCH Electronic Ignition 69 A12

[70chall440]

Really? When were you in 2/75? I was in 3/1 from 91-94 then went back to Oki but came back in 2000 until I retired in 04. I ran all of the SOTIC courses for 1st SFG and always had several guys from 2/75 in the course, also served with a lot of guys who came over to 1st Grp.

I skydived from 90 until around 2000 or so, I had a number of containers and rigs but most of them were used stuff when I got it. I cannot even remember what my last rig was, maybe a javelin... (thats going to bug me until I remember). I got a cypress right towards the end and probably jumped it twice but then I sold off all my skydiving stuff along with all of my SCUBA crap, but I kept all of my guns LOL. I was jumping way old school stuff, zero P had recently come out and the small rigs started coming out as well.

 

[65-440]

Really? When were you in 2/75? I was in 3/1 from 91-94 then went back to Oki but came back in 2000 until I retired in 04. I ran all of the SOTIC courses for 1st SFG and always had several guys from 2/75 in the course, also served with a lot of guys who came over to 1st Grp.

I skydived from 90 until around 2000 or so, I had a number of containers and rigs but most of them were used stuff when I got it. I cannot even remember what my last rig was, maybe a javelin... (thats going to bug me until I remember). I got a cypress right towards the end and probably jumped it twice but then I sold off all my skydiving stuff along with all of my SCUBA crap, but I kept all of my guns LOL. I was jumping way old school stuff, zero P had recently come out and the small rigs started coming out as well.

Weren't you the guy who was in with my cousin? Eugene Henwood? I can't remember if it was you or not.

 

[70chall440]

Weren't you the guy who was in with my cousin? Eugene Henwood? I can't remember if it was you or not.

Yep that was me, Gene and I connected online and traded some messages.

 

[65-440]

Yep that was me, Gene and I connected online and traded some messages.

Awesome!

 

[halojumper]

Really? When were you in 2/75? I was in 3/1 from 91-94 then went back to Oki but came back in 2000 until I retired in 04. I ran all of the SOTIC courses for 1st SFG and always had several guys from 2/75 in the course, also served with a lot of guys who came over to 1st Grp.

I skydived from 90 until around 2000 or so, I had a number of containers and rigs but most of them were used stuff when I got it. I cannot even remember what my last rig was, maybe a javelin... (thats going to bug me until I remember). I got a cypress right towards the end and probably jumped it twice but then I sold off all my skydiving stuff along with all of my SCUBA crap, but I kept all of my guns LOL. I was jumping way old school stuff, zero P had recently come out and the small rigs started coming out as well.

I was there in 1977.

Really? When were you in 2/75? I was in 3/1 from 91-94 then went back to Oki but came back in 2000 until I retired in 04. I ran all of the SOTIC courses for 1st SFG and always had several guys from 2/75 in the course, also served with a lot of guys who came over to 1st Grp.

I skydived from 90 until around 2000 or so, I had a number of containers and rigs but most of them were used stuff when I got it. I cannot even remember what my last rig was, maybe a javelin... (thats going to bug me until I remember). I got a cypress right towards the end and probably jumped it twice but then I sold off all my skydiving stuff along with all of my SCUBA crap, but I kept all of my guns LOL. I was jumping way old school stuff, zero P had recently come out and the small rigs started coming out as well.

I was there in 1977. My "career" was cut short because of the accident. At that time there were only two RANGER battalions then, and no Special Operations Command. My BN co was Colonel Wayne Downing who later became the co of Special Operations Command. He visited me a number of times while I was at Madigan Army Medical Center. I jumped a "large"canopy because of my injuries. I could have gone down to a 190, but the 210 gave me better landings, but kind of sucked on windier days. I just had to pull down on the front risers to change the angle of attack of the canopy. I sold off my gear also, but I still have my guns also. I loved the night freefall jumps they were a blast. Socom became a thing after Grenada. From what I understand that comms were a clusterfuck, and they lost some Seals in the process. So they needed some kind of cohesive command structure to insure future missions didn't screw the pooch. My biggest problem with the whole thing is that I did not get a chance to prove myself. I actually wanted to go SF, but as a medic, but Captain Robert Weatherwax MD told me i could never go back to what I was doing. I lost my identity, and my mission. I was lost for a long time, but my mental toughness, and the discipline I learned kept me from sliding into a dark place.

 

[70chall440]

Outstanding, obviously before my time as I entered the Army 78. got to Group in 85. I remember when SOCOM became an enitiy and I definitely remember the WAD especially when he was the SOCOM commander. He was not a big fan of SF.

I spent about 3 years in the 82nd as a 11C which was interesting but was a good segue into SF. Initially I was a 18E (commo) and did that for while then went Warrant and served the rest of my time in SF as a 180A. I did 2 tours in Okinawa and 2 in Lewis with some stop offs in Bragg and Monterey along the way. Got to go a lot of places and do a lot of things, was awesome overall.

Looking over my jump log, I started out with a Northern Lite container and a Nimbus main as well as a phantom 26' lopo reserve (round, which I did ride once). Eventually I got a Vector V7 and had a sharp shooter main, but then got a Raven III main and reserve. I really liked that combination but then once I realized I would probably not jump again I sold it off as a kit.

 

[70chall440]

I was there in 1977.

I was there in 1977. My "career" was cut short because of the accident. At that time there were only two RANGER battalions then, and no Special Operations Command. My BN co was Colonel Wayne Downing who later became the co of Special Operations Command. He visited me a number of times while I was at Madigan Army Medical Center. I jumped a "large"canopy because of my injuries. I could have gone down to a 190, but the 210 gave me better landings, but kind of sucked on windier days. I just had to pull down on the front risers to change the angle of attack of the canopy. I sold off my gear also, but I still have my guns also. I loved the night freefall jumps they were a blast. Socom became a thing after Grenada. From what I understand that comms were a clusterfuck, and they lost some Seals in the process. So they needed some kind of cohesive command structure to insure future missions didn't screw the pooch. My biggest problem with the whole thing is that I did not get a chance to prove myself. I actually wanted to go SF, but as a medic, but Captain Robert Weatherwax MD told me i could never go back to what I was doing. I lost my identity, and my mission. I was lost for a long time, but my mental toughness, and the discipline I learned kept me from sliding into a dark place.

By the way, do you or did you know Wayne Beals?

 

[halojumper]

By the way, do you or did you know Wayne Beals?

No, I don't believe I do. I don't know why some officers have a thing against Special Forces. I can only think that it must be some kind of jealousy thing. Those officers that think like that are guys that don't think outside of established norms. That thinking to me would result in a stagnation of unit morale, and cohesion If Henry Ford didn't think of building automobiles we would still be riding horses I guess they want robots instead of people who think on their feet, I think they feel that some things are static, and they are not, they are fluid in nature. Nothing has a predictable outcome. My old company co, James T Jackson could be described as a douche nozzle. My former squad leader, Bruce Medlicott was a police officer in Austin Texas, but passed away in 2006. The guy who "laser tagged me" is a retired state police officer in conn. (Bruce Heerter). Had only one malfunction . I was using loaner gear. A few lines wrapped around the end cells. That left end cells was kind of a rush. I used to jump with a team called the Phantom Airborne Brigade based in Zephyrhills, Florida. August 1998 we did a high altitude static line jump. 24,000 AGL. We used protec helmets with the bayonet connectors so we could use O2 masks, thermal underwear, bdu's, and a flight suit. It was twenty five below at that altitude. We used bailout out bottles for O2, nothing like transitioning from the O2 console to the bottle with the stall warning going off. I just laughed i figured I'm going in anyway. Btw it was a water jump in the Gulf of Mexico, about fifteen miles offshore. The aircraft we jumped was a Casa looked like a baby C123.

 

[70chall440]

You've got a good memory LOL. Wayne is local to me but was in 2/75 around the same time as you were so I was thinking that you might know him but I know how that is. I have met people who were in the next company over that I never knew, met or remember but was across the hall from for years.

FLA huh, do you know Bobby Overby? He was pretty involved in the FLA skydiving scene, I think he worked for Strong and did a lot of tandem stuff. I did a number of HAHOs from 18-20K when I was on a HALO team in Okinawa and you are right, its stupid cold up there. The team I was on sent a record back in the late 80's and got out at 32,500 over Guam.

Yeah I don't know what the deal was with officers especially between the Ranger Regiment and SF, we got a lot of guys out of Regiment coming over, a few of or more senior NCOs would go back and forth.

 

[halojumper]

You've got a good memory LOL. Wayne is local to me but was in 2/75 around the same time as you were so I was thinking that you might know him but I know how that is. I have met people who were in the next company over that I never knew, met or remember but was across the hall from for years.

FLA huh, do you know Bobby Overby? He was pretty involved in the FLA skydiving scene, I think he worked for Strong and did a lot of tandem stuff. I did a number of HAHOs from 18-20K when I was on a HALO team in Okinawa and you are right, its stupid cold up there. The team I was on sent a record back in the late 80's and got out at 32,500 over Guam.

Yeah I don't know what the deal was with officers especially between the Ranger Regiment and SF, we got a lot of guys out of Regiment coming over, a few of or more senior NCOs would go back and forth.

I might know Overby. My last jump was 2011. I did know Ted Strong though. He was pushing some kind of Special Operations small wheeled vehicle parachute insertion system. I don't know if that ever came to fruition. Ted used to make me laugh. He would not skydive with goggles, that's how I figured out why he squinted, and blinked so much. He started out in 1958 at West Point. I think he might have had something to do with the Golden Knights( not the hockey team, haha)

 

[70chall440]

Yeah you most definitely ran into Bobby, probably about 5' 5" maybe a bit taller but has snow white hair, wears glasses. I think Bobby might still be jumping, not sure bc I haven't talked to him for awhile, last time I saw him was at SHOT 2 years ago.