• their overall academic standing in their academic major course work and military science course work 
• their performance on the Army Physical Fitness Test
• each cadet’s overall performance in Military Science program 
• the cadre’s assessment of the cadet’s ability to successfully complete the course.

The course is divided into three distinct phases titled ground week, tower week and jump week. During ground week, the cadets focus on learning to perfect the parachute landing fall, exiting a mock aircraft and physical training. Additionally, students must master exiting a 34-foot tower, designed to replicate exiting an aircraft. During the second phase, physical fitness training remains key, as well as learning to control their parachute. Students continue to working their landings as well.

During jump week, students must execute five successful jumps from a military aircraft, including one jump at night and one with a full combat load. Pending any bad weather, students usually complete their final jump on Thursday afternoon of that third week and then graduate from the course on Friday morning. It is during that graduation ceremony that students are awarded their basic parachutes badge, earning the right to be referred to as “Airborne."

“The most important thing that I learned was to trust your training," said Cadet Bullis. "The Army has been teaching the same basic skills needed to jump out of an airplane since my parents went to Airborne school 31 years ago."

Cadet Persoon added, “Jumping from a C130 was definitely a very memorable part of my Airborne experience. It all happened so fast, but it was great rush. It was an even greater rush knowing that I just walked away from jumping out of a plane with no injuries.”

Four University of Scranton Army ROTC cadets successfully completed U.S. Army Airborne School training this summer. The three-week course was conducted at Fort Benning, Ga.