The AAS obstacle course is designed to identify a fear of heights in any of the candidates which may adversely affect them later on in the course. Pushing yourself over the edge of a forty-foot tower with nothing between you and a long fall but a 7/16 inch piece of rope takes some willpower, but it's nothing compared to exiting a Blackhawk helicopter hovering 100 feet above the ground. "I enjoyed running through the obstacle course, it was a learning experience. Training for AAS has not been easy over the past few months but it has opened up some opportunities and is making me an all-around better person," said M/N 4/C Jonathan Young.
The video below shows some AAS candidates executing the obstacle course on "Zero Day."
On 10 July 2011 four Midshipmen will report to the United States Military Academy at West Point and attempt to earn the Air Assault Badge. 1SG Swiderski has been working closely with the Midshipmen to prepare them for the tests that lay ahead. "These four Midshipmen have devoted a lot of time, effort and energy preparing for this. From grueling Ruck marches to the early morning gut-wrenching conditioning drills; this group has always been highly motivated and gave nothing short of 110 %. No Midshipmen that has been selected to attend Air Assault School has failed to successfully complete it and I am fully confident that this group is well prepared and will continue to uphold that tradition," said 1SG Peter Swiderski of the Army Liaison Team.
"SUNY Maritime’s obstacle course helped me realize that it is important to calculate the most efficient method of tackling an obstacle," said M/N 3/C Tyler Driscoll. "For example, I learned to use my legs on the rope climb rather than try to muscle my way to the top. Everyone on the Army Liaison Team has been very helpful in giving us insight on the program. After training with 1SG Swiderski over the past trimester, I feel prepared and eager to challenge myself at air assault."
In the photos and videos below you can see the effort our Midshipmen are putting out during their third attempt at the Marine Corps obstacle course at SUNY Maritime. Also attending AAS will be M/N 2/C Michael Jeffers and M/N 2/C Michael Phipps who said “The obstacle course is not difficult in its individual parts. Yet the full culmination of the course and the rope climb at the end was very challenging.”
For further information in this blog about Air Assault School click here.
