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THE AIRBORNE BROADCASTER
THE AIRBORNE MYSTIQUE
In French, they are know as "les Paras", in German "die Fallschirmjager, in Spanish "los Paracaidistas and, in English, we call them "Paratroopers". Whatever the language used, the connotation is that of soldiers who are held in awe and respect by their countrymen and possible adversaries. They form a body of tough, elite, highly disciplined troops for any nation. For some, they have been held back as a general reserve; for others, they have been the first forces employed in time of trouble.
More then any other types, airborne forces are most directly and effectively useful in cold war, limited conflict, and general war. In cold war they represent the nation's "hole card"---mobile forces always ready for rapid deployment---and so are a deterrent force. In limited war they would likely be the first army forces strategically deployed. In general war they could carry out a variety of missions such as reinforcing combat elements already deployed, filling strategic gaps where there were no deployments and interdicting enemy forces by vertical envelopment.
A large part of the viability factor in the airborne as an important part of the force structure comes from the effect of airborne training on the individual.
Why airborne? Aside from the practical value of airborne troops, there's a tremendous psychological mystique that's established around men who jump out of aeroplanes.
The "mystique" is, in reality, a personality change undergone by those who become paratroopers. The change is based upon two major facets: the rite of initiation which allows a soldier to be called a "paratrooper", and the continued reinforcement of this status.
THE INITIATION RITE
Sociologists long ago confirmed in laboratory experiments the logic that all men who have undergone stress to be accepted into a particular group intuitively know; a severe initiation causes entrants to value the group highly, whereas a mild initiation does not engender nearly as much of a commitment to the group.
This was demonstrated by Elliot Aronson of Stanford University and Judson Mills of the Leadership Human Research Unit, Human Resources Research Organization in their 1959 studies. Aronson and Mills described a situation in which a number of subjects were given a severe initiation to a group they knew nothing about; an equal number were given a mild initiation; and a third group was given no initiation at all. After listening to the group's discussion by the use of headphones, the subjects were asked to rate the group and their own feelings toward being a part of the group. The subjects who received no initiation rated the group a statistically significant amount lower then did the subjects who received a severe initiation.
Said Aronson and Mills:
The results clearly verified the hypotheses. Subjects who underwent a severe initiation perceived the group as being significantly more attractive then did those who underwent a mild initiation and those who underwent no initiation.
The initiation described by Aronson and Mills lasted but a few hours. Contrast that with the three weeks of intensive training to make a paratrooper, and the finding effect of the initiation is magnified many times. The three weeks of jump school is a severe "rite of passage", and there is no "mild" initiation. There are only two grades in this school: Superior or failure!!
The rite of passage analogy as described by Melford Weiss has three stages:
...separation from the former group or state; transition to the new; and, finally, incorporation...In the case of paratroopers training, the transitional phase is most important.
The transition is accomplished by physical stress and repetition through the first two weeks of the training. The trainee is subjected to all situations encountered in jumping, one at a time, and drilled to execute an automatic response to each of these situations. In the third week, he puts it all together.
Before the last week is out, he jumps five times. Five times he is grabbed by apprehension, and five times he is exhilarated when his chute pops open and eases him down...He'll step out a little prouder, more confident, his head still dizzy from the experience which will live in his memories for the rest of his life.
The rite of passage is not completely over. Any airborne trooper joining a unit is regarded with distrust until he has jumped with the unit.
The cohesiveness of any unit is greatly enhanced by shared experiences of its members. A requirement of an elite group is that a new member demonstrate his credentials for joining the group. Says University of Chicago sociologist and former Israeli paratrooper Cideon Aran:
"The striking resemblance between the jump experience and rites of passage suggests another aspect of the association between jumping and elite status. Jumping can be viewed as a test which allows those who pass it to join an exclusive club."
REINFORCEMENT OF STATUS
All the soldiers on jump status are required to jump at least once every three months. The majority jump more frequently than this. In no case does the act of jumping become routine. In every instance in which a paratrooper steps into space with the ground 1250 feet away, he risks his life. His main parachute, reserve parachute, or both, may malfunction; he may be dragged by the wind once he lands; or he may be blown into the trees or high-tension wires. Although the number of fatalities and serious injuries from parachuting is very small, the consequences of being part of a very small statistic keeps the paratrooper respectful of the act in which he is engaging.
The tensions involved in the continuous requirements for jumping ensure that there is no regression from the personality change which took place during the initiation. Gideon Aran states that there are two motifs which maintain the personality change which we may call "The Airborne Mystique". The first motif is the:
...rich symbolic significance with which parachuting is charged.....this motif obviously results from the intense emotions that accompany the act, especially fear.
The fear is always there, but is under control. The following thoughts were expressed by a young paratrooper:
"You feel these thoughts -- strong inside you. Fear! But fear mixed with the wild spirit, freedom and bravado that jumping gives you. These thoughts are dormant in your consciousness; the only thing that goes through your mind is -- let's get out; let's jump; let's GO!!"
THE RESULT
Jumping encourages self confidence, determination, self reliance, masterful activity, aggression, courage, and other items symptomatic of the phallic-narcissistic type, all of which are very important in the military setting, especially in paratroop commando units, which rely heavily on individual action and are aggressive in nature. In a way, even the illusion of omnipotence enhanced by jumping can make a better soldier.
Paratroopers live a life of uncertainty. Not only must they continually be tested in the air, but they are also subjected to frequent alerts for deployment. At least an equal number are due to actual conditions which may require their presence. In recent history, we can think of a sufficient number of actual deployments to know that the paratrooper must be ready.
Parachute jumping tests and hardens a soldier under stress in a way nothing short of battle can do. You never know about others. But paratroopers will fight. You can bet on that. They repeatedly face danger while jumping and develop self discipline that conquers fear. Subconsciously, every trooper knows this. That's why he has that extra cocky confidence.
Part of the World War II German paratroopers creed reads as follows:
"Be as nimble as a greyhound, as tough as leather, as hard a Krupp steel......Never surrender. To your death or victory must be a point of honour."
German paratroopers performed acts of daring against great odds at Fort Eben Emael and on Crete. They often fulfilled the requirements of their creed. Canadian paratroopers have performed similarly and will continue to do so in the future.
The Airborne Creed
I volunteered as a parachutist, fully realizing the hazard of my chosen service and by my thoughts and actions will always uphold the prestige, honor and high esprit-de-corps of parachute troops.
I realize that a parachutist is not merely a soldier who arrives by parachute to fight, but is an elite shock trooper and that his country expects him to march farther and faster, to fight harder, and to be be more self-reliant than any other soldier. Parachutists of all allied armies belong to this great brotherhood.
I shall never fail my fellow comrades by shirking any duty or training, but will always keep myself mentally and physically fit and shoulder my full share of the task, whatever it my be.
I shall always accord my superiors fullest loyalty and I will always bear in mind the sacred trust I have in the lives of the men I will accompany into battle.
I shall show other soldiers by my military courtesy, neatness of dress and care of my weapons and equipment that I am a picked and well trained soldier.
I shall endeavor always to reflect the high standards of training and morale of parachute troops.
I shall respect the abilities of my enemies, I will fight fairly and with all my might, surrender is not in my creed.
I shall display a high degree of initiative and will fight on to my objective and mission, though I be the lone survivor.
I shall prove my ability as a fighting man against the enemy on the field of battle, not by quarreling with my comrades in arms or by bragging about my deeds.
I shall always realize that battles are won by an army fighting as a team, that I fight first and blaze the path into battle for others to follow and to carry the battle on.
I belong to the finest unit in the world. By my actions and deeds alone, I speak for my fighting ability. I will strive to uphold the honor and prestige of my outfit, making my country proud of me and of the unit to which I belong.
Being AIRBORNE is like being a VIRGIN;
You either are or you are not.
If you are not,
Nobody really cares to hear your excuses
You might be an Airborne Soldier if...
The first thing you do in the morning is put in a dip
Your favorite beer is someone else's
Your cologne smells suspiciously like bug juice
You think a spit shine means to spit on your boots and wipe them on the back of your pant legs
Your kids wear a high and tight and stand at parade rest
You tell the arresting officer that you have just been alerted and you were speeding to work
When you have dinner guests in between paydays, you try to pass off a hamslice as canned ham
You use your spotter scope to pull surveillance at the pool or the Pope AFB air show
You would rather smoke a private then a Marlboro
Your hide site is cleaner than your room
You set up concertina wire around your house to keep trick or treaters away
You spend your free time thinking of ways you would destroy things if you were a terrorist
You never enter a bar without an E&R plan
You consider a "Recon" walking around the bar looking for chicks
You order a beer from the waitress by hollering "Nurse give me an IV"
You consider a six pack a well balanced breakfast
You say "Hooah" whether you understand or not
You creatively acquire things you need
Every sport you play has the word combat as part of its name
In French, they are know as "les Paras", in German "die Fallschirmjager, in Spanish "los Paracaidistas and, in English, we call them "Paratroopers". Whatever the language used, the connotation is that of soldiers who are held in awe and respect by their countrymen and possible adversaries. They form a body of tough, elite, highly disciplined troops for any nation. For some, they have been held back as a general reserve; for others, they have been the first forces employed in time of trouble.
More then any other types, airborne forces are most directly and effectively useful in cold war, limited conflict, and general war. In cold war they represent the nation's "hole card"---mobile forces always ready for rapid deployment---and so are a deterrent force. In limited war they would likely be the first army forces strategically deployed. In general war they could carry out a variety of missions such as reinforcing combat elements already deployed, filling strategic gaps where there were no deployments and interdicting enemy forces by vertical envelopment.
A large part of the viability factor in the airborne as an important part of the force structure comes from the effect of airborne training on the individual.
Why airborne? Aside from the practical value of airborne troops, there's a tremendous psychological mystique that's established around men who jump out of aeroplanes.
The "mystique" is, in reality, a personality change undergone by those who become paratroopers. The change is based upon two major facets: the rite of initiation which allows a soldier to be called a "paratrooper", and the continued reinforcement of this status.
THE INITIATION RITE
Sociologists long ago confirmed in laboratory experiments the logic that all men who have undergone stress to be accepted into a particular group intuitively know; a severe initiation causes entrants to value the group highly, whereas a mild initiation does not engender nearly as much of a commitment to the group.
This was demonstrated by Elliot Aronson of Stanford University and Judson Mills of the Leadership Human Research Unit, Human Resources Research Organization in their 1959 studies. Aronson and Mills described a situation in which a number of subjects were given a severe initiation to a group they knew nothing about; an equal number were given a mild initiation; and a third group was given no initiation at all. After listening to the group's discussion by the use of headphones, the subjects were asked to rate the group and their own feelings toward being a part of the group. The subjects who received no initiation rated the group a statistically significant amount lower then did the subjects who received a severe initiation.
Said Aronson and Mills:
The results clearly verified the hypotheses. Subjects who underwent a severe initiation perceived the group as being significantly more attractive then did those who underwent a mild initiation and those who underwent no initiation.
The initiation described by Aronson and Mills lasted but a few hours. Contrast that with the three weeks of intensive training to make a paratrooper, and the finding effect of the initiation is magnified many times. The three weeks of jump school is a severe "rite of passage", and there is no "mild" initiation. There are only two grades in this school: Superior or failure!!
The rite of passage analogy as described by Melford Weiss has three stages:
...separation from the former group or state; transition to the new; and, finally, incorporation...In the case of paratroopers training, the transitional phase is most important.
The transition is accomplished by physical stress and repetition through the first two weeks of the training. The trainee is subjected to all situations encountered in jumping, one at a time, and drilled to execute an automatic response to each of these situations. In the third week, he puts it all together.
Before the last week is out, he jumps five times. Five times he is grabbed by apprehension, and five times he is exhilarated when his chute pops open and eases him down...He'll step out a little prouder, more confident, his head still dizzy from the experience which will live in his memories for the rest of his life.
The rite of passage is not completely over. Any airborne trooper joining a unit is regarded with distrust until he has jumped with the unit.
The cohesiveness of any unit is greatly enhanced by shared experiences of its members. A requirement of an elite group is that a new member demonstrate his credentials for joining the group. Says University of Chicago sociologist and former Israeli paratrooper Cideon Aran:
"The striking resemblance between the jump experience and rites of passage suggests another aspect of the association between jumping and elite status. Jumping can be viewed as a test which allows those who pass it to join an exclusive club."
REINFORCEMENT OF STATUS
All the soldiers on jump status are required to jump at least once every three months. The majority jump more frequently than this. In no case does the act of jumping become routine. In every instance in which a paratrooper steps into space with the ground 1250 feet away, he risks his life. His main parachute, reserve parachute, or both, may malfunction; he may be dragged by the wind once he lands; or he may be blown into the trees or high-tension wires. Although the number of fatalities and serious injuries from parachuting is very small, the consequences of being part of a very small statistic keeps the paratrooper respectful of the act in which he is engaging.
The tensions involved in the continuous requirements for jumping ensure that there is no regression from the personality change which took place during the initiation. Gideon Aran states that there are two motifs which maintain the personality change which we may call "The Airborne Mystique". The first motif is the:
...rich symbolic significance with which parachuting is charged.....this motif obviously results from the intense emotions that accompany the act, especially fear.
The fear is always there, but is under control. The following thoughts were expressed by a young paratrooper:
"You feel these thoughts -- strong inside you. Fear! But fear mixed with the wild spirit, freedom and bravado that jumping gives you. These thoughts are dormant in your consciousness; the only thing that goes through your mind is -- let's get out; let's jump; let's GO!!"
THE RESULT
Jumping encourages self confidence, determination, self reliance, masterful activity, aggression, courage, and other items symptomatic of the phallic-narcissistic type, all of which are very important in the military setting, especially in paratroop commando units, which rely heavily on individual action and are aggressive in nature. In a way, even the illusion of omnipotence enhanced by jumping can make a better soldier.
Paratroopers live a life of uncertainty. Not only must they continually be tested in the air, but they are also subjected to frequent alerts for deployment. At least an equal number are due to actual conditions which may require their presence. In recent history, we can think of a sufficient number of actual deployments to know that the paratrooper must be ready.
Parachute jumping tests and hardens a soldier under stress in a way nothing short of battle can do. You never know about others. But paratroopers will fight. You can bet on that. They repeatedly face danger while jumping and develop self discipline that conquers fear. Subconsciously, every trooper knows this. That's why he has that extra cocky confidence.
Part of the World War II German paratroopers creed reads as follows:
"Be as nimble as a greyhound, as tough as leather, as hard a Krupp steel......Never surrender. To your death or victory must be a point of honour."
German paratroopers performed acts of daring against great odds at Fort Eben Emael and on Crete. They often fulfilled the requirements of their creed. Canadian paratroopers have performed similarly and will continue to do so in the future.
The Airborne Creed
I volunteered as a parachutist, fully realizing the hazard of my chosen service and by my thoughts and actions will always uphold the prestige, honor and high esprit-de-corps of parachute troops.
I realize that a parachutist is not merely a soldier who arrives by parachute to fight, but is an elite shock trooper and that his country expects him to march farther and faster, to fight harder, and to be be more self-reliant than any other soldier. Parachutists of all allied armies belong to this great brotherhood.
I shall never fail my fellow comrades by shirking any duty or training, but will always keep myself mentally and physically fit and shoulder my full share of the task, whatever it my be.
I shall always accord my superiors fullest loyalty and I will always bear in mind the sacred trust I have in the lives of the men I will accompany into battle.
I shall show other soldiers by my military courtesy, neatness of dress and care of my weapons and equipment that I am a picked and well trained soldier.
I shall endeavor always to reflect the high standards of training and morale of parachute troops.
I shall respect the abilities of my enemies, I will fight fairly and with all my might, surrender is not in my creed.
I shall display a high degree of initiative and will fight on to my objective and mission, though I be the lone survivor.
I shall prove my ability as a fighting man against the enemy on the field of battle, not by quarreling with my comrades in arms or by bragging about my deeds.
I shall always realize that battles are won by an army fighting as a team, that I fight first and blaze the path into battle for others to follow and to carry the battle on.
I belong to the finest unit in the world. By my actions and deeds alone, I speak for my fighting ability. I will strive to uphold the honor and prestige of my outfit, making my country proud of me and of the unit to which I belong.
Being AIRBORNE is like being a VIRGIN;
You either are or you are not.
If you are not,
Nobody really cares to hear your excuses
You might be an Airborne Soldier if...
The first thing you do in the morning is put in a dip
Your favorite beer is someone else's
Your cologne smells suspiciously like bug juice
You think a spit shine means to spit on your boots and wipe them on the back of your pant legs
Your kids wear a high and tight and stand at parade rest
You tell the arresting officer that you have just been alerted and you were speeding to work
When you have dinner guests in between paydays, you try to pass off a hamslice as canned ham
You use your spotter scope to pull surveillance at the pool or the Pope AFB air show
You would rather smoke a private then a Marlboro
Your hide site is cleaner than your room
You set up concertina wire around your house to keep trick or treaters away
You spend your free time thinking of ways you would destroy things if you were a terrorist
You never enter a bar without an E&R plan
You consider a "Recon" walking around the bar looking for chicks
You order a beer from the waitress by hollering "Nurse give me an IV"
You consider a six pack a well balanced breakfast
You say "Hooah" whether you understand or not
You creatively acquire things you need
Every sport you play has the word combat as part of its name
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