You have the responsibility to retain the Pathfinder knowledge that has been crammed into your brain the last few weeks. "The badge represents more than you having the skill set of a Pathfinder. "Today we're going to issue you the cool-looking Pathfinder badge, which you earned," Dallas told them. But they also understood the responsibility they now have to their fellow Soldiers. "It was really nice to see a school where standards were absolutely not lowered to change graduation rates," he said.Īfter all was said and done, the graduates were glad to have completed the course and looked forward to the chance to sleep again. Chief Warrant Officer 2 Dustin Lind, a pilot and this course's honor graduate, finds it comforting that only the very best made it through. In the end, though, the high attrition rate has its advantages. "If you're going to put 10,000 pounds in the air over somebody's head, you want to make sure it's secured properly," he said. "You really don't realize how much work and how much detail goes into it (until you do it)," Spc. Most of them dropped following the first sling load exercise, a traditionally tough part of the course. This class lost more than half its students by the end of the first week. Typically Pathfinder School has a graduation rate of 50 or 60 percent. 1st Class Bill Long, one of the MTT instructors. "This course is more challenging than most college courses just because of that," said Sgt. All told, prospective Pathfinders must memorize and retain a huge amount of information in a short amount of time. Students go through multiple exams, hands-on tasks and one final field training exercise - not to mention the hours of off-duty time spent studying. It's a course that demands 100 percent from students. Students learned to navigate cross country on foot to establish and operate day and night helicopter landing zones and parachute drop zones, practice medical evacuation procedures, rig and inspect sling loads and provide air traffic control and navigational assistance to aircraft. Though JBLM's most recent Pathfinder MTT course was organized by C Co., 38th LRS, 201st Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, some slots were filled by the best Soldiers other units had to send. A unit would be hard-pressed in Afghanistan without helicopter resupply or air-assault capabilities, all of which are managed by Pathfinders." "Their skills are critical to our nation's success. Joseph Dallas, 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division. "Pathfinders are more relevant than ever on today's battlefield," explained Command Sgt. They were the first American Soldiers on the ground on D-Day in 1944, and despite evolutions in doctrine and tactics, continue to lead the way in operations today. Army Pathfinders have been used since World War II to establish and operate landing and drop zones. Preston Aaron, commander of C Company, 38th Long Range Surveillance. "It's an academically tough, mentally draining course, but it's essential," said Capt. After a three-week course run by a Mobile Training Team, or MTT, from Fort Benning, Ga., 29 out of 80 JBLM Soldiers who began the training can now call themselves Pathfinders. Joint Base Lewis-McChord's most recent graduates of Army Pathfinder School know about both. Getting a cool new badge doesn't hurt, either. JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash., Ma- It's always satisfying to know that you're one of the best. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL 9 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL 8 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL 7 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL 6 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL 5 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. John Gomen, C Co., 38th Long Range Surveillance. During the jump for the Verbally Initiated Release System exercise, parachutist 1st Lt. Soldiers attempt to free a parachute from a tree March 18, near Rogers Drop Zone, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL 4 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Members of Fort Benning's Mobile Training Team spent three weeks equipping Soldiers on JBLM with the necessary ski. Soldiers pop smoke to signal for jumpers in a CH-47 Chinook helicopter March 18, near Rogers Drop Zone, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL 3 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Army) VIEW ORIGINAL 2 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. 1 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S.
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