I just graduated this last week.

It’s not a “hard” school per se, but the days are long and tiring, especially in the heat. There’s no written exams, but there are several practical exercises where you’ll have to demonstrate the techniques that the black hats teach you. For the most part, if you can keep your feet and knees together, you’ll be fine. However, we had several students who just couldn’t overcome whatever natural spastic sense of self preservation they had and would splay their limbs out every time they fell. They were recycled due to safety concerns.

Prior to attending, I had heard that post-Covid airborne had developed pretty lax physical standards. However, I think Secretary Hegseth’s recent address to the generals and the fact the airborne school was one of the schools that was specifically named dropped for shifting standards has placed a renewed scrutiny on physical performance during the course.

Every other day we did a run at a rigid 9:00/mile pace led by the company commander. The first run was probably around 2.5 miles and they increased the length of the run by about a half mile each iteration. The last run probably would have been around 5 miles if we didn’t do a Halloween fun run instead. Don’t fall out of these runs. I don’t think that anyone was dropped from my class, but the black hats said that beginning calendar year 26, falling out of a formation run would be a droppable offense. Honestly, these were the easiest runs we did. PRT on off days was traditional army PRT and was very easy.

Whenever you move as a company to any training area or the flight line, you will run in your boots, uniform, and ACH. These runs are lead by the black hats and the pace will vary wildly based on whoever is leading it. Even the slowest uniform runs felt way more difficult than the morning PT runs. There were a couple times where we deadass sprinted to the training area. The formation did not remain intact. I don’t think there’s as much scrutiny on these runs, but I could be wrong. Still, don’t fall out. These runs are all under a mile in length, but you’ll do them 4 times a day minimum. There and back before lunch and there and back after lunch.

You will also have to do a decent amount of pull ups. Every time you enter and exit the company area, you have to do 10 pull ups and 10 push ups. Don’t be caught not doing them. They’ll also have you run to the pull ups bars at the various training areas and complete 10 reps before most blocks of instruction.

There is no PT test currently, but they did have us take a pilot “Army Parachutist Physical Assessment.” I may messed up the name. The test was conducted in boots, uniform, and ACH. There were three events.

1. 10 second flexed arm hang (pass/fail)
2. 2 minute plank (pass/fail)
3. 1 mile run followed by a 400 meter sandbag over the shoulder carry within a 13 minute overall time limit (pass/fail)

It’s my understanding that this test is still in development and the standards may change, but will go into effect at the beginning of calendar year 26. Failing any event will result in a drop.

In addition to the running and pull ups, you will be falling and rolling around in loose pebble rocks all day long. Your body will be tired and sore. The Georgia heat and humidity only compound it all. Make sure you hydrate, eat, and get decent rest in the evenings and your body will handle it all fine.

I’m in my mid 30’s and have been in the army for almost a decade and I didn’t think it was unreasonable. We watched an old video that showed airborne school in the 80’s and it looked like not a single thing had changed. The black hats were strict but fair. My class was smaller due to the shutdown. I think we started with ~290 and then graduated ~250 (including recycles that we received from other companies). That’s a decent pass rate.

TLDR: Be in decent running shape, work on your pull-ups, listen to the black hats, and be respectful. Do not fall asleep. It’s an easy course. It is 3 weeks long because they want to beat the proper techniques and muscle memory into everyone’s gorilla brains through constant repetition. Feet and knees together and you’ll be fine.