How Hard is Military FREE FALL?

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The US Army Special Operations Military Free Fall school (HALO / HAHO) is one of the most exciting, but difficult, schools to get a slot for in the military.

Let’s discuss
• Prerequisites
• Location
• Duration & Phases
• Sleep & Food Deprivation
• Harassment
• & Graduation Requirements

Military Free Fall can be an extremely fun experience…. As in a day-time jump without any gear or weapons. The cold air at altitude. The adrenalin rush. The whistle of the wind as you fall to earth at 120 miles an hour.

But it can also be terrifying… as in a night time operation, blacked out, with full combat gear, and weapon, on supplemental oxygen.

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Thanks for watching,

Christopher Littlestone
Life is a Special Operation
Are You Ready For It?

Our Website / Learn More
Be the Hero in the Story of Your Life!

We teach the tools and strategies of the military and elite special operations community to civilians, businesses, and high-net-worth-families.

SECURITY - Keep Your Family or Small Business Safe

LEADERSHIP - Become the Leader Everyone Loves (Free Course)

PLANNING - Plan Like Your Life Depends on It (Free Course)

MINDSET – Develop a Champion’s Mindset

FITNESS - so you can Dominate your Day

Thanks for watching,

Christopher Littlestone
Life is a Special Operation
Are You Ready For It?

Our Website / Learn More

Thanks to
Lance Cpl Carlos Kealy
1st SO Wing Public Affairs
Lance Cpl Nicole Rogge
A1C Rebeckah Medeiros
SETAF
Esmerelda Ellis

[masonwilkes]

On my first jump in school my main didn't deploy. I tried to dip and pop the bubble to get it to free from the pack. Just as I was going to cut away the my main, instructor reached in my pack and pulled the main out (keep in mind were in mid flight). I knew at that moment I was being taught by the best the world has to offer. The instructors are no joke, world class individuals.

[АлександърЯнков-тр]

I was very fortunate to graduate from this school only two weeks ago. This made the first Bulgarian military personnel to ever participate in this course in Yuma. I've been dreaming of this opportunity since 2019 and my first visit to the US when passing through the SFQC.

[forrestprice]

I went to the MFF (Military Freefall) course at Ft Bragg in the summer of '73. I was one of 6 Air Force members (3 CCT and 3 PJs) in the class. Us three CCT were from Pope (right next door) while the PJs were all from different units. I had about 100 sport freefall jumps and found the course very easy. We jumped on the drop zones at Ft Bragg. The instructors were very good and there was no harassment, just high expectations for attitude and performance. The NTE (night tactical equipment) jumps, especially those on oxygen did present a rather high pucker factor. Standing on the ramp, at 20, 000 feet, at night was a feeling you had to experience to believe. Of course I was 23 at the time and, in my mind, bullet-proof. My TSgt and I were selected to stay on for the Jumpmaster course. About a year or two later the Air Force must have pulled some strings since I was invited to be the only Air Force member to participate in the initial trials of the HAHO (High Altitude, High Opening) program. For a while I felt that I was on top of the world.

[jdam]

Best school in the army. It was pretty tiring due to the nonstop tempo to get your jumps in before the weather got bad in the afternoons (due to winds) if you are going to this school my tip to you is to go to the commissary when you get there and buy at least 2 Gatorade's for each day and peanut butter and jelly. The reason is for when I went there were no meal breaks. You are when you had time. So if you get done packing fast enough that was your little break before rigging up and getting on the bird again. The last thing is just to listen to your instructor. They will make sure you are ok.

[wolfman]

My Dad was a HALO Instructor on Okinawa during the Vietnam War in the late 60's and retired as one...he was in the 1st SF...

[charleslowery]

I'm a Vietnam vet PJ. Didn't have the opportunity to do HALO/HAHO stuff. They didn't really have the school house for that in the late 60's & early 70's. But I did get my share of jumping into the s---t at night. Raised my blood pressure every time. Enjoy your videos and wisdom Lt. Col. Thanks !!

[risersgarage]

Spent a week at Ft. Bragg learning to fly in the "Dragon" before we were sent out to YPG. We lost 2 student class members during night jumps. (RIP my brothers!) Went on to complete 1082 jumps in my 4 years of service. It's been over 22 years thank you for the video!
Blue Skies Black Death!

[markweiss]

Mad respect. Once i graduated Ranger School (April ‘83) I had a choice of three schools...scuba, halo, pathfinder. I applied for all three...got pathfinder, not disappointed, but always wanted to learn to free-fall. Years later while attending college, i got my accelerated free-fall training. Bottom line, free-fall much ‘mo-better’ than rope jumping. Thanks for sharing...great vid.

[morallyinsane]

Has nothing to do with courage, more like proper training, confidence, and the approval of your instructors knowing your the right person for the job. Then conducting yourself in a safe professional manner with the right attitude to achieve success. A lot of people have courage to make the jump, but as you know it takes more then just courage to be successful.

[pfcchap]

Putting the Christmas lights on my house is about as high up in the sky as I care to get. Pretty cool that that the troopers @5:22 got to jump into Gondor though. Keep an eye out for Sauron.

[shootersix]

Special Forces Detachment - Korea (SFDK) was, in the early 1980's, one of (if not THE first) US SF detachment to use and teach, via MTT missions, HAHO operations. I recall traveling to ROK in the early 80's to visit members of SFDK and learn about HAHO ops - some of which was then and may still be classified - whereupon I discovered that "stabilization" at altitude at night was, in the sardonic words of the CO ... "often subjective." All I know is that these guys are the best of the best and I have and will trust them with my life. Airborne.

[RobinP]

It’s been a long time since I went through this school, 1992, the entire school was at Fort Bragg. I was an experienced skydiver, but at only 5’4” in height, combat equipment jumps were entertaining, especially when I got back to my ODA and jumped real world rucks. Back then we used the MT1XX parachute.

[benjamintreitz]

Could you maybe one day make a list or compilation of "what could go wrong"- and "SHTF"-scenarios [to the degree this can be disclosed] common in a Special Operations? Thank you in advance!

[danmidkiff]

My salute to all the men and women that 1. Serve our great nation. 2. Go above and beyond to seek, and complete, all the training they can get to make themselves into better war fighters. I'm a retired Marine Master Gunnery Sergeant, and they have my deepest respect.

[Awsahybell]

So much respect for all that serve in all branches. The world is a much better place with them on call.

[malenatully]

Honestly, I’m more afraid of carnival rides, but my love for sky diving, is a rush. Ohhh definitely night jump would be INSANE!!! I want to try.

[andrewvillanueva]

So much respect to special operators that go through this school. It's a tough school to complete.

[semperfidelis]

Thank you for your service and all you have sacrificed so that we can sleep in peace and be Free! Semper Fidelis commander.

[rpq]

Best school ever. Even worked there back in the late 80s and early 90s

[courtneyroy]

Nice video! I had the pleasure of working for a company based in Lafayette, LA which acquired a gov contract to build and fly stinger missile target planes for stinger quals. At the time I had no idea Yuma proving ground existed, but went with our fly crew (myself, a co-worker, and the owner of the company) to a fire-ex there. It is quite a place. Upon our arrival (and travel to our assigned launching area, my co-worker said..."Hey, look up!" I did and I witnessed exactly what your video is about. Cool days...had lots of fun. Thanks again (Lafayette, LA)