Mr. Wagner,

I am writing this email as a fan and alumnus of Oklahoma State University to convey my disagreement with your recent vote in the Harris Poll.

I agree that LSU is the best team in the national, hands down. It seems a little unnecessary for you to place Alabama in the second place slot, asking for a rematch, when we already know the result of that game as it was played on November 5th.

Using the “quality loss” argument, it is safe to assume that you do not penalize Alabama for losing to the best team at home, however, the logic you employed in this decision is contradicted later in your top-five.  Oregon lost to the same LSU team on a neutral field, then blow out Stanford, who you have ranked ahead of the Ducks. After another loss to a post-season-ineligable USC, you still maintain that Oregon is better than Oklahoma State.

Boise State failed to go undefeated in a Mountain West schedule that is, safe to say, is one of the weakest in the FBS. By failing to put away TCU at HOME, they clearly should not be considered for a top-5 ranking. As you can now see, your fellow voters agree with that as they have ranked them seventh in the final poll.

The only explanation I can find is a clear “west-coast bias” for lack of a better term. It is obvious that you would try to do your part to assist Boise State secure a BCS bowl as you feel it would show your support to the former WAC team. I will admit, the BSU/Hawai’i battle between Jared Zabransky and Colt Brennan, who should have never been invited to the  Sugar Bowl after the 2007 season, was fun to watch in the same manner that co-ed flag football games are fun.

When everything is said and done, and I look at your top six teams, LSU was the right decision at one. I can live with Alabama at two. Stanford has a solid case at three, even though their strength of schedule was not as impressive as another team ranked below them with the same record.

My first real issue is having Boise State, who lost the rights to a Mountain West Conference Championship at home to a far less-superior team, ranked as the fourth best in our country. Additionally, having two-loss Oregon at number 5 is unacceptable, when you have an Oklahoma State team who, by the numbers, have more quality wins against a tougher schedule than any team not named LSU.

I am sorry that you submitted this ballot after such little forethought on its implications; and that you honestly believe that there are five teams ranked ahead of Oklahoma State. Perhaps after the Fiesta Bowl has been played, and OSU is able to win against a (in your opinion) VERY talented Stanford team, you will see this team for what it is, the second-best behind an all-time great LSU team, and one that was worthy of a chance to play them in the BCS National Championship Game.

Best regards,

SPC William Reinier
12B Airborne Combat Engineer

This time has been unreal as I have been able to work with very squared-away NCOs and learn much in not a lot of time. The most valuable lessons learned were those taught to me by Staff Sgt. Feiereisen, he helped me understand the role of the paratrooper in today’s war and also gave me valuable tips in becoming an NCO. As a thank you, he gave me two Iraqi war campaign medals that he got from the Iraqi War College.

One of the more significant moments of this trip was witnessing Sgt. Todd Lopata be awarded his promotion to Staff Sgt. Afterward he handed me his E5 rank and asked me to hold it for the day my promotion came. This is a big honor for me as I have high aspirations for myself in the Army.

I enjoyed talking to future soldiers and learning about their goals and answering questions about concerns they had joining.  Simply put, the Army has given me everything I’ve asked for and in return has only asked for my time and a little motivation…sometimes, that seemed like too much.

This week was also a week in which I was able to reconnect with old friends, cut ties with those whose journey alongside of me had come to an end and begin new friendships with people I will not easily forget.

Moving to North Carolina is a scary venture, mainly because I will once again have stability but in a new place with a lot of new faces. But as per the namesake of this blog “Where there’s a Will…”, I know there will be a way.

Even as I compose this at 30,000 feet-

I can’t help but wonder what the coming week will have in store for me. I want to do the right thing and get myself over, but first I must remember to get over myself. I am joining an elite team of Airborne troopers and it is my turn to be the support that they need in order to accomplish our daily missions.

I will update as frequently as possible but until then:

AIRBORNE

Soldiers are always going to be in need. It doesn’t matter that the Army is over strength. We need motivated, intelligent young people who are looking for a career or just a way out of Oklahoma to join and become the leaders of tomorrow.

So far, I have basically shadowed the recruiters. Works for me, because I just sit back and watch these professionals do their jobs. Every now and then I get to talk with future soldiers about my experiences and answer questions about how the Army is now. An E-5 or 6 can talk about Basic, but it’s been years since they’ve been, for me it’s only been weeks.

On average I work from 0900-1500 give or take every week day. I don’t mind it because waking up at 0800 is still sleeping in.  I get nights off and the opportunity to visit all of my friends before we go our separate ways. It could not have come at a better time, either. Oklahoma State University graduation is just around the corner and I won’t be the only one leaving Stillwater forever.

I know that this is all part of growing up, but I can’t help but miss the good times. This week really is the last time all of the people who have made such a huge impact on my life since I came to Stillwater will all be in the same place and I plan to live with no regrets and make memories of a lifetime here.

AIRBORNE

The paratrooper corps. began in 1940 and have jumped in every major conflict since WWII, including storming the beaches of Normandy on D-Day.

In order to prepare for a jump, we must carefully don our equipment. After it is on, we wait for nearly three hours while being inspected and reinspected. In all, we go through about five separate safety inspections.

Finally, when my chalk (group of jumpers) was called to board the plane, you feel a sinking in your stomach but know what you have to do. I stood up and walked out of the building and onto the Airfield where I was greeted by a C-130, ramp down and ready to board. I tried my best to stand tall and walk proud toward the craft, but I had to remind myself that this wasn’t a movie and being a little nervous was natural.

Standing behind it, I was introduced to some of the most intense exhaust ever. Hot air blowing past me so fast, it pushed up back as you tried to walk. I walked up the ramp and took my seat on a bench.

C-130s are really loud, and not very smooth, so the ride in the aircraft wasn’t doing much to settle my nervous. Once the jump-master began the pre-jump commands, I still hadn’t calmed down.  But it was time to work.

10 Minutes! Get ready! Outboard personnel stand up! Inboard personnel stand up! Hook up! Check Static Line! Check Equipment! Sound of for Equipment Check! One minute! Thirty seconds! Standby! Green light, GO!

The Chalk began shuffling to the door. One by one, I watched my battle buddies step up then disappear. Inching closer to the door, I still didn’t know how I was going to react. Two people in front of me, one person in front of me, they disappear, my turn.

Standing there, looking the jumpmaster dead in the eye, it took me back the the Million times I had been through the Mock door. He took my static line, I turned and kicked my foot out.

WHAT THE HELL DID I JUST DO?!

For the next 5 seconds, I had so many things racing through my head. What did I do? Why am I falling through the sky? What if my chute doesn’t open? This is really freaking AWESOME.

Just like that, I felt free. My chute opened and everything was calm. I was focused and alert, checking my canopy for any holes and watching out for fellow jumpers. The scene was beautiful, I couldn’t believe that I was doing it.

At 100 feet, I prepared to land. Luckily, the drop zone we use here is tilled soil, making the landings feel like nothing. I hit feet first then conducted a PLF that wasn’t textbook, but didn’t hurt me at all.  I laid there, thinking about what I had just done. Was it a rush? I was breathing hard, but I think it’s because the landing had knocked the wind out of me. I still felt good, relaxed in a way. It was one of the best feelings, seconded only by the feeling of the chute grabbing me out of the air and slowly bringing me to the earth.

I got up to retrieve my chute and pack it away just in time to see another C-130 pass over dropping another Chalk.

I came to the conclusion that I could watch paratroopers jump all day. It really is something spectacular.

I completed four more jumps in the next two days, culminating on Wednesday night when we did a full-combat night jump.

And as of this morning, I am Airborne, a paratrooper. And I could not be more proud to say so.

Tomorrow, some of you are going to exit the door at 1250 feet, and you’re going to see Jesus. Then, when that canopy opens, you will experience complete exaltation. – Sergeant Airborne

After accountability of soldiers (two were missing, likely to be dropped from the class), these words were spoken by Sgt. Airborne. I’m sure it’s a joke that gets passed around from company to company, but it’s kind of funny, nonetheless.

Tomorrow we are to be in formation at 3:40 to take accountability and move out to the Airfield. From there we are scheduled seven hours of pre-jump briefing and training. We will don the harnesses and exit the mock doors before boarding the C-130 at 1100.

Two C-130's awaiting at the Airfield.

I can’t wait, but now I am nervous about the lack of sleep I’ll have. Maybe I need to stop complaining and just show up and do my job.   Tomorrow’s pre-training is scheduled for about 7 hours and includes another trip through the mock door as well as what to do once you land.

Tomorrow we will be jumping Hollywood, meaning that it will be us and our chute. Nothing else.  I think the toughest part will be the landing. I honestly think that the flight in he chute should be easy, but maybe not with all the driving around necessary for one. A malfunction is rare, but we are taught how to recact them.

(I’m struggling and it’s only 0025, I’m going to be sucking tomorrow)

Here’s a video of what the jump will likely look like tomorrow:

I can’t wait, but first I have to make though tonight….good night and until tomorrow

AIRBORNE

The Swing Landing Trainer

The swing landing trainer is an apparatus that while being used properly will teach a soldier how to properly employ the Parachute Landing Fall technique. The PLF, when used correctly will keep the jumpers from causing injury to themselves when they land.

The apparatus is set up so you begin, in the harness, on a platform about 12 feet above the ground. On command, you fall forward from the platform into the ground and begin swinging in a pendulum motion.  When the jumper is at the equilibrium position (the bottom of the swing), they are about three to four feet from the ground. Once the jumper has assumed the correct landing position, he is abruptly dropped to the ground in order to perform their PLF. In order to better understand, here’s a video:

Unfortunately, we have a short training week. In order to compensate for the lost time, my company will not be participating in any training using the 250 ft. towers. But, because it is an amazing but of training, I’m going to let you all see what I would (should) have done.

I can’t believe that in 5 short days, I’ll be jumping from a C-130 into the great blue. I can’t wait, until then:

AIRBORNE

Back to the 34-foot tower. Today we learned how to exit from the plane as a group. This is important because a plane can’t stick around in one spot dropping soldiers so they have to drop as many as possible in one pass.

There are two ways an Airborne soldier can jump from a plane. “Hollywood” and “Combat-ready”.

In a Hollywood jump, it is just the jumper and their chute. No gear, no weapon, just the chute.  Now, in a Combat jump, you have to be ready for battle as soon as you hit the ground; so, you have to have your weapon by your side, and your ruck sack on hand filled with all mission essential items.  Today, we only jumped four people at a time, and it looked a lot like this:

The combat pack weighed about 50 lbs, and according to Sgt. Airborne, the one I will be wearing on a standard mission will be closer to 100lbs, plus 45 lbs for the chute…it adds up quick. Not to mention I’m around 200lbs in full battle-rattle so I’m looking at close to 350 lbs falling from the sky at about 18 fps…I’m going to fall like a lawn dart.

This past weekend, I was able to take in the Infantry Museum here on Ft. Benning, I was really impressed and recommend that all Army enthusiasts make it down to see. Here are some pictures from the trip:

Click to view slideshow.

Tomorrow we will do more of the same, but hopefully I’ll have something exciting to talk to all of you about.

until then:

AIRBORNE

This morning we worked on PLFs (see yesterday’s post) and I finally did some that would at least not break anything when I land.  After lunch we took on a new endeavor:

The 34 Foot Tower

The 34-foot Tower is used to simulate exiting an aircraft.  In order to pass, you mus complete a minimum of 6 jumps with the final 4 in perfect form.

When looking down, this is about all you see:

Don't look down.

In order to get a go, you have to jump from the tower of your own will, keep your head down, feet and knees together, count as loud as you can to 6,000 or 4,000 (depending on what parachute system you are wearing), and then check your (non-existent) canopy and gain canopy control. It was a LOT of fun, tomorrow I will qualify again with the T-10 Delta Chute and then be on detail for the rest of the day. Here’s a video to check out what it looks like.

Morning PT is a 4.2 mile run at 9 minute/mile pace, until then…

AIRBORNE