621st CRS conducts Air Assault preparation course
The U.S. Army Air Assault School is an intensive 10-day course that trains soldiers to conduct helicopter-borne and airmobile operations and is typically a major hurdle for Air Force service members to secure slots.
However, the 621 CRW stands as one of the very few wings capable of delivering these rare opportunities to Airmen—a direct benefit of the specialized airfield assessment and joint mission sets it champions.
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Jack Cullen, a U.S. Army Air Assault School graduate, led the preparation course on his own initiative as a prerequisite Airmen need for the Army's demanding school.
“The prep course is meant to guide interested members towards proper preparation for the actual 10-day course,” Cullen said. “It consists of a 30-foot rope climb and/or obstacle course, as well as a 12-mile weighted ruck.”
The ruck march is often a significant hurdle for candidates.
"The ruck is usually what scares most people out of Air Assault School because of the length," Cullen said. “The hardest part mentally is convincing yourself to show up. Physically, the ruck is hard on your knees and back; it is why form and preparation are very important.”
For the 621 CRW, a warrior mindset is part of the job. Contingency response Airmen are the Air Force's rapid-response experts, deploying on short notice to open or close airfields, establish air operations and get mission-critical assets moving in austere locations.
“If we are infilling to a location that doesn’t have a suitable landing strip, we can employ sling load operations to move cargo.” Cullen said. “Air Assault School trains students to rig and inspect loads carried beneath helicopters, and the 621st CRW can use that to move equipment and supplies where roads and runways can't.”
For U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Elias Van Zweden, 621 CRS command and control specialist, the two-day prerequisite course was a confidence builder.
“The rope climb was the hardest part for me,” Van Zweden said. “Having someone who has already experienced the school and show us different techniques made a difference.”
By the time participants began 12-mile ruck march, they were no longer simply preparing for school; they were operating as a team.
“You’ll be surprised what you can do when you’re surrounded by people pushing in the same direction,” Van Zweden said. “We all showed up and were willing to accept the challenge.”
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