Transcript Fall 2015 Storyboard

WHO: Cadet Garrett Stanfill, Elizabeth Valentine and Tim Skerjanc
WHAT: The Sabalauski Air Assault School (AASLT)
WHEN: 7-23 July 2015
WHERE: Ft. Campbell, Kentucky
SUMMARY: On the 7th of July 2015, class 44-15 began the Army Air
Assault (AASLT) course at Ft. Campbell. Considered the “11 toughest
days in the Army,” the AASLT course consists of some of the most
rigorous physical testing designed to attrit Soldiers who are unfit to
continue the course. Students are not considered enrolled into the course
until they pass a two mile run in ACU’s and the AASLT obstacle course.
AASLT consists of three phases in order to graduate. Phase one of
AASLT School is classroom based instruction on the main rotary aircraft
used in the Army. Rigorous PT continues through phase two with events
such as a 2 mile body armor run, and areomedevac PT. In order to
proceed, the students must pass a written exam.
Phase two is the conduct of sling load operations. Sling load ops consist
of rigging and inspecting various cargo containers, vehicles, and
equipment to be transported by helicopter. Students learn about the
equipment procedures and helicopters utilized for these ops. At the end of
phase two, the class conducted the hardest examination of the school. It
involved inspection of four different sling loads for deficiencies in less than
two minutes each. Students must pass a written test comprised of
technical information such as weight limits on almost all sling load
equipment. During phase two Students complete the 6 mile ruck march in
under 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Phase three, the rappelling portion of AASLT consists mostly of practical
exercises. Students are taught 3 types of rappels, and are familiarized
with fast rope operations. Students must pass all 3 rappels and tie a
“swiss seat” in under 90 seconds to proceed. Students get to conduct a
rappel from a UH-60 Blackhawk. The final for the course is a twelve mile
ruck march in 3 hours, which leads to the graduation day ceremony.
The Cowboy Battalion Cadets did wonderful and each of them earned
the right to wear the coveted Air Assault Badge.