Hey folks, I'm currently a junior, and I'm pretty intrigued by the notion of becoming a paratrooper after high school. However, I'm a bit uncertain as to which military branches have paratroopers. Any help in understanding this better would be great. Thanks in advance.
Hello there! It's great to see you're interested in serving as a paratrooper upon graduation!
To answer your question, paratrooper units exist in several branches of the U.S. military. Here's the breakdown:
1. Army - The U.S. Army is home to the famous 82nd Airborne Division, which is widely known for their paratrooper operations.
2. Air Force - While not its primary role, the Air Force's Special Tactics teams (which include Pararescue Jumpers and Combat Controllers) often use parachutes to safely infiltrate hostile or remote locations.
3. Marine Corps - The Marine Corps Reconnaissance units and Marine Raiders (special operations) are trained in static line and military freefall parachuting.
4. Navy - Navy SEALS and the Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewmen (SWCC) also are trained in static line and military freefall parachuting.
It's important to remember that becoming a paratrooper does require passing rigorous training and physical fitness tests. Each of these military branches will have a different primary mission and culture, so you would want to talk to recruiters from each branch, do some research, and consider what else besides being a paratrooper appeals to you about military service.
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