Steve just spent the last couple of weeks going through the Air Assault Coarse at Fort Benning, Georgia. While there he did obstacle courses, sling load training (which is connecting loads of supplies to helicopters) and then rappelling out of helicopters.
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Steve rappelling from one of the obstacle courses.
This is a 64 foot wall that the soldiers were required to rappel from.
It would have been pretty neat to watch everyone drop from the helicopters!
This is Steve and his battle buddy watching everyone take their turn rappelling from the helicopters.
It was a VERY VERY physically demanding training. When Steve would call home at night he would tell me how "they smoked us.... again". One of the last things that a soldiers must do to pass the training was a 12 mile ruck march. Unfortunately, for Steve and the others they woke up the morning of the march to pouring rain!!! So with ruck sacks that weigh about 40 pounds strapped to their back, jogging in the rain for 2-3 hours, and holding a weapon ...this is what Steve's hands looked like at the end. A little pruned.
To say the least I am so proud of Steve for his hard work to push through things when they were beyond difficult. The pressure of people yelling at you, trying to learn everything needed for the tests given, and staying strong when you are being worked so hard physically. It really was a mental, physical, and emotional training which Steve passed! Congratulations!!!
