Email   Print   Share By Heather Graham-Ashley, Sentinel News Editor

Facebook Digg Delicious July 26, 2012 | Living

In this undated photo, air assault candidates rappel down a cliff near Belton Lake. The new Fort Hood Air Assault School hosts rappelling towers. Photo courtesy Rich Powell, Fort Hood and III Corps Historian

In this undated photo, Fort Hood Soldiers tackle part of the obstacle course during Zero Day of air assault school. When the post recently opened its newest air assault school, graduates from previous classes shared their memories of the school. Photo courtesy Rich Powell, Fort Hood and III Corps Historian

When the post marked its first class to graduate Air Assault School with Fort Hood instructors since the 1990s, the event brought a lot of attention. It also brought back memories for those who graduated Air Assault School at Fort Hood 20 and 30 years ago.

III Corps and Fort Hood Historian Rich Powell said the post has enjoyed a long history with air assault schools.

“The cliff rappelling and obstacles course has been part of our culture since the very inception of Camp Hood,” Powell said. “These shorter descents were confidence-builders and would allow for basic skill training.The tower that was part of the old Fort Hood Course was a formidable tower that challenged both your fear of heights along with your newly acquired skills for rappelling. This confidence was extremely important, because the student had to have complete confidence in their ability before they exited off the skid tube of a UH-1 Iroquois, fondly know as ‘the Huey.’”

Historical records are lacking for air assault programs conducted at Fort Hood in the 1980s and 90s, but two graduates from the previous programs remember the grueling school well.

Retired Lt. Col. David Spencer completed Air Assault School at Fort Hood under the 2nd Armored Division because it was a school he felt he needed.

“Part of being in the Army is going to the schools,” the retired infantry officer said. “And because it’s cool and exciting to push yourself to see what kind of limitations you have.”

And, he said, “it’s a cool course, especially for an infantry officer.”

Spencer graduated the course in November 1983, but unlike now, there was no established air assault school with amenities.

“The school was held on East Fort Hood near the lake,” he said. “We marched in from the main cantonment to the school.”

His memories include sleeping in pup tents, a ruthless PT pit that was utilized for any infraction and 90-foot cliffs on Lake Belton that served as rappel towers for his class.

“I don’t remember the obstacle course,” he said, referring to the part of the class many air assault candidates find most challenging.

For Spencer, the initial ruck march to begin the course was the most challenging aspect since he entered the school not completely recovered from a torn ACL he suffered in college.

“I was physically damaged,” Spencer said.

His class was not a large one, with about 30 graduates.

“Most who started the class graduated,” Spencer said about his class.

Graduating from Air Assault School served Spencer well in his career.

“It gave me some more appreciation for and taught me how to utilize helicopters in a supporting role,” he said. “The more you know about the assets available and how to use them, the more effective you are in planning and executing missions and operations.”

Almost 10 years after Spencer completed Air Assault School, Fort Hood had an established obstacle course and a cadre of instructors from III Corps.

“It was physically the toughest school I attended,” now-Lt. Col. Jeff Snyder said. “It was tough. You had to want to be there.”

He said he still has scars on his hands from doing push-ups on hot pavement during Air Assault School, but Snyder was not complaining.

Snyder definitely wanted to be there. Already airborne qualified at the time, Snyder said Air Assault School made sense.

“It was a useful skill,” he said. “I had already done sling-load operations in Desert Storm.”

Central Texas heat combined with the physical exertion the course required proved to be the most challenging for him.

The ordnance officer, then a second lieutenant, was a graduate of the August 1991 class.

“It was a permanent school, run by III Corps guys,” Snyder said.

The obstacle course for the classes in the 1990s was on the same road as the current obstacle course, but further west, he said. That course was torn down in 1999, Snyder added.

He recalled other classes after his, but said the course was shutdown a few years later.

As for his time in Air Assault School, Snyder said it was tough.

Zero Day for his class began with 298 candidates.

“I remember counting off in the sun,” Snyder said.

That number quickly dwindled, but Snyder recalled the counts. About 20 percent of the candidates were lost during the full equipment layout. After the obstacle course, the candidates stood at 132. Then, only 100 after the 2.5-mile boot run, he said.

Classroom instruction claimed another 44 candidates, but Snyder said he was confident with the book work.

“I still remember every sling load,” he said.

Heat injuries during the road march also thinned the class.

“They were dropping like flies,” Snyder said.

In the end, 32 graduated, he said.

During his graduation ceremony, which was held on what is now Veteran’s Field near 3rd Cavalry Regiment, Snyder was one of six graduates who rappelled out of a UH-1 Huey helicopter onto the field.

The newest iteration of Air Assault School prompted some good memories for Snyder.

“It was a lot of sweat, but a lot of fun.” he said.