Within the ranks of the US Army, the awards PFC Mace Veit received for graduating these prestigious schools are called "Scare Badges."

One of my comrades broke her ankle during her first jump at Airborne School and another broke his foot on his fourth jump. Unfortunately, both never earned their one "Scare Badge," the silver-toned US Army Basic Parachutist Badge.

I was fortunate enough to graduate Jump School and earn my wings as a "five-jump chump." But years after I retired, I am still waiting for my promised orders to attend US Army Air Assault School at Fort Campbell, KY.

Hi Matt

The only US Army specialized training that I wanted to complete was Air Assault school. By coincidence I knew two Vietnam War vets who were both helicopter M60 door gunners, so I heard their war stories. And I would learn more at Air Assault school (LZs, knots, hand-and-arm signals, heliborne operations, etc) than Jump School, which is just muscle-memory practice of PLFs and guiding away from trees or water.

Tough break on the EFMB.

I had zero respect for senior leadership.

Hmph.

Last century, I knew a USAR soldier who attended Air Assault School as a permissive TDY at Ft Belvoir, VA. He showed up at O dark thirty in the morning and got a slot when someone didn't show up or was kicked out later that day. He passed.

Afterwards, he studied and practiced for the EIB. Somehow he finagled his way into a MDARNG infantry unit and took the EIB test during one long weekend with them. He passed.

"AP" repeated the same process with Pathfinder School, skills which he never used, but he looked great in his Class As or Dress Blues.

"AP" was more proud of his ability to get the scare badges than the training itself.

And incredibly enough, "AP" was a lousy swimmer.

I was the unit's 'WSI' because I was an American Red Cross certified lifeguard, not an official WSI or certified WSSI.

So, I coached him for several days on efficient strokes and breath control before the unit validation tests and he passed.

No scare badge for that though.

'AP' did me some small favors along the way, so I hope he's doing well and enjoying retirement.