Pope leadership packs a ‘chute’ with help from 3rd APS riggers Published Jan. 17, 2008 By Airman 1st Class Mindy Bloem 43rd Airlift Wing Public Affairs POPE AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- Wing leadership paid a visit to Pope's 3rd Aerial Port Squadron's parachute rigging section Jan. 7 in an effort to better acquaint themselves with the unit's mission. Col. Timothy Zadalis, 43rd Airlift Wing Commander, Col. John McDonald, 43rd Airlift Wing Vice Commander, Col. Pat Savoy, Mission Support Group Commander, Chief Master Sergeant Michael Grimm, 43rd Airlift Wing Command Chief, and Chief Master Sgt. Timothy Beavers, 43rd Mission Support Group, all showed up to learn how to pack a parachute. The military trade of a parachute rigger is a long-standing tradition with a history in the Army and Air Force. It takes a lot of time and effort on the part of the rigger packing the parachute and rigging the load, along with trained aircrews to put that load on the ground where troops can get the supplies or equipment they need, said Tech. Sgt. Seth Abel, 3rd APS. I gained a greater understanding of the skill, dedication and teamwork involved in this process," Colonel Savoy said. "Checklist procedures must be followed to properly pack a chute or it could result in damage to an airplane or injury to personnel it takes discipline, skill, teamwork and dedication to the mission." The parachute rigger has been around for more than a half century, and the military uses these trained professionals to its advantage, especially during wartime, to put parachutes onto equipment and supplies which are delivered by aircraft to combat zones. "For almost as long as there have been airplanes there have been people trained and certified to pack parachutes," said Sergeant Abel, "The first Army unit was established in 1940, and the school at Fort Lee, Va., was established in 1951." The Air Force started sending personnel to Fort Lee for training shortly after the school opened. Air Force members received their training there up until 2002 when the Air Force portion of the school was closed. The Airborne and Special Operations Museum in downtown Fayetteville has a small section dedicated to rigging that outlines the history of a proud military trade. Pope leadership was given the opportunity to experience this first hand and attested to its importance. "My take away from this event was the precision, dedication and pride that our aerial porters have in accomplishing their mission -- in this case, making sure that parachute functions properly every time," Chief Beavers said. "These proud professionals continue to make a difference both here at home station and at our deployed locations throughout the Area of Responsibility every single day, and I'm glad they are on my team." "This was a very enjoyable experience for me for two reasons: first, it's great to get out with the troops and to see the pride they have in the mission and see that shine through as they lead and instruct you through the process," Colonel Savoy said. "Secondly, I am not a sit- behind-the-desk type; I'm a blue-collar colonel, and I like being out on the job, pushing pallets, loading airplanes, painting cars or packing chutes." During the packing practice, the leadership was split up in groups of two and three. Each group was then given an experienced rigger on their team to walk them through the steps of the parachute packing process. Since the process varies with each type of parachute that is packed, the aerial delivery field checks the parachute at certain intervals to ensure they are being packed correctly by a qualified rigger commonly referred to as a "senior rigger," Sergeant Abel said. During the practice, the leadership saw just how important attention to detail is in this career field, which Sergeant Able emphasized was vital. "Attention to detail is just as important in packing a parachute as when it comes to working on a vehicle, or even an aircraft," he said. "While the training loads we deal with on a daily basis wouldn't really harm or hinder the aircraft, the Army drops equipment so enormous that the slightest mistake could bring an aircraft down. In addition, once the load leaves the aircraft, if a malfunction occurs it can become a danger to personnel on the ground. So attention to detail during the packing process is of utmost importance." Depending on the parachute, the packing procedure takes anywhere from 20 to 45 minutes. In that time frame, the riggers must take extreme care to ensure they do not make a mistake. "That's why we practice, so when the aircrews deploy, they can get those supplies on the ground where they need to be in the AOR to the combat troops," Sergeant Abel explained. "In addition, the parachute rigging field has come a long way since its early inception during World War II. There are now systems being introduced into service that can be dropped from 25,000 feet and several miles away that will fly themselves to the target area on the ground using GPS signals. This keeps the aircrews even safer and out of harm's way. The rigging tradition will continue to carry on as long as there are troops on the ground who need supplies and equipment. For Chief Beavers, who enjoys being out in the mix and observing Pope's Airmen, the experience was thoroughly enjoyable. "I always enjoy spending time with the Airmen in the Mission Support Group. When we have the opportunity to participate in something like packing parachutes, it gives me a better understanding and appreciation for what our Airmen do everyday."