Alexandria, VA – August is a significant month for United States Army Paratroopers. On 16 August 1940, the first official military parachute jump took place at Fort Benning, Georgia. Forty-eight brave men volunteered to be part of the first parachute test platoon.
Since then, thousands of military members have volunteered to participate in the incredibly challenging, stressful, and physically demanding training at the US Army Airborne School at Fort Moore (formerly Benning), called the “birthplace” of America’s Airborne. Today, airborne insertion is still maintained as a rapid response capability to get troops on the ground anywhere in the world within hours for a variety of missions.