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Chief earns Army Air Assault Badge

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Tom Brading
  • 315th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

It isn’t every day the Air Force sends an Airman to attend the Army’s brutal Air Assault School in Ft. Benning, Georgia, and its inconceivable for that Airman to be a chief master sergeant with more than 25 years of service.

Until now.

At 48, Chief Master Sgt. Robert Grimsley, 315th Security Forces Squadron manager’s age wasn’t ideal for one of the military’s most challenging courses.

But, anyone who knows him would agree… he was perfect for it.

Grimsley, a retired Charleston County police officer, already completed Survive Evasion Resistance and Escape school as a senior master sergeant. He’d wanted to go to Air Assault School for years. But, for one reason or another, the timing never lined up.

“The Air Force didn’t have a need for me to go,” said Grimsley. “And, the Army didn’t have a spot for me to go. Either way, I kept running into walls… but I didn’t give up.”

Finally, after years of dead ends, he was given an opportunity as a walk-on at the U.S. Army Air Assault School, officially known as the Sabalauski Air Assault School in Ft. Benning, Ga. Although originally designed for Army 101st Airborne Soldiers, the course occasionally takes in other members of the armed forces.

It started on Zero Day.

Being a walk-on meant nothing was promised. Although Grimsley left everything behind to follow his dream, it wasn’t definite that he’d officially advance to Air Assault School.

He held onto the hope given to him by one of the cadre, who said if someone wasn’t able to complete Zero Day that individual would lose their slot, not advance in the course and be sent home. Their unfortunate failure would be a blessing for Grimsley. Of course, he’d have to complete Zero Day first, a task that was easier said than done.

 Zero Day officially began around 4 a.m., at the Air Assault School training grounds in Ft. Benning, Ga. It’s also known as The Ranger Compound. There were more than 250 prospects.  They were lined up, given roster numbers and brought to the first events.

Grimsley became roster number 313.

The 48-year-old Air Force Chief became another number. A face in a crowd being led to the school grounds, there was no turning back… just yelling from the cadre, chaos and confusion.  At the time, nobody but the instructors knew what was coming next.

“Our first event was the two-mile run,” said Grimsley. “After that, we started the obstacle course.”

In between obstacles, Grimsley found himself, along with everyone else, being "smoked" by the instructors. A term commonly used to describe the amount of exercises done by the individuals, overseen by the instructors.

Grimsley passed the obstacles, and after hours of being smoked, he pushed himself and completed Zero Day.  More than 50 people failed, ensuring Grimsley a slot into the Air Assault School.

“I kept thinking to myself, I will get through today,” said Grimsley. “It’s a short amount of time; it’s not going to last forever.”

For Grimsley, his goal was to proudly wear the Air Assault badge. Once he officially became a student, he moved one step closer to realizing that dream.  But before he began, he had to undergo a six-mile ruck march, followed by an inspection.

Phase One – Combat Assault

The first of three phases is three days long, and service members receive combat training on aircraft safety and orientation, aeromedical evacuation, close combat attacks and other aspects of combat assault. 

According to Grimsley, the school didn’t feel like 10 days, it felt like more than a month.

“I took everything meal-by-meal, not day-by-day,” said Grimsley. “I got to lunch. Once there, I got to dinner. After dinner, I’d have a day behind me. One day closer to completing.”

Mentally, Grimsley remained resilient by using his years of experience to get him through the long days. Physically, the hours of PT and constant strain started breaking his body down.

“I was physically fit before leaving,” said Grimsley. “But my body was cramping up. I didn’t have enough recovery time. Some days, I didn’t know if I could physically keep going.”

Grimsley kept telling himself, “If I don’t make it then I don’t make it … but I won’t quit.”

At the end of each day, he’d notice more beds were empty. Each bed represented someone who didn’t make it through training.

Phase Two – Sling load Operations

Widely considered the most challenging aspect of Air Assault School, due to its number of wash outs, the second phase of training is a three-day long course on sling load operations.

During this phase, candidates learn the proper way to rig equipment onto a rotary aircraft with a sling. This operation usually requires a student to hook the underbelly of a helicopter hovering close to the ground. Loads can weigh anywhere from 1,000 to 8,000 pounds.

“So many failed due to attention to detail,” said Grimsley. “(In a deployed environment) one wrong move could mean death.”

The second phase is also where Grimsley found himself pushed physically and mentally harder than ever before. While being smoked by instructors in the pouring rain, feeling his study materials being ruined in his pocket, and his body wanting to collapse beneath him, he thought about giving up.

The instructor calmly explained, “This can all be over. Just walk away.”

But, Grimsley didn’t get this far to ‘just walk away.’  

He thought of his family and their unconditional support, the 315th Airlift Wing leadership that believed in him, the Airmen he wanted inspire back in his squadron and the fellow students that were motivated by “The Chief.” But, after searching deep within himself, he was also doing it for himself.

“I wanted to do this for myself,” said Grimsley. “I wanted to prove to myself that I could.”

He didn’t give up and kept going after that “smoke session” in the rain, but he still wasn’t sure if he’d complete second phase.

“I thought about my family,” said Grimsley. “If I didn’t make it, I told myself I’d get to see them sooner. But, if I made it, I’d get to advance in the course… either way, I was winning.”

Grimsley did advance, and moved onto the third and final phase in Air Assault School.

Phase Three – Rappelling Phase

The third, and final phase of Air Assault School gave trainees instructions on ground and aircraft rappelling procedures. During this training, candidates completed two successful repels from 34-foot towers, and two repels from UH-60 Blackhawks, hovering 70-90 feet above ground.

Grimsley, a former Marine infantryman, was no stranger to rappelling. In fact, he was looking forward to it.

By now, the trainees had become a self-sufficient unit. They cleaned the academic classrooms, served the meals and took care of each other. In addition, the chief became a beacon of motivation for his fellow students.

“Guys would tell me, ‘we saw you by our side and it helped us not give up,” said Grimsley, admitting he inspired his fellow students.

In addition to the students, members of the cadre confessed they were rooting for the chief as well.

“One cadre said I was the oldest service member to pass Air Assault School,” said Grimsley.

He humbly added, “At least at Ft. Benning.”

At the conclusion of training, the final event is a 12-mile ruck march with required uniform and equipment. It’s no victory lap. Failure to have 100 percent of all items on the packing list in less than three hours renders the student unable to graduate.

Grimsley completed all tasks, and successfully graduated from Air Assault School. Upon graduation, he was awarded the badge identifier for his uniforms.

“Having completed this school, it opens a lot of career opportunities,” said Grimsley. “I’m qualified to perform with air assault missions.”  

Today, Grimsley wears his Army Air Assault Badge proudly. He even has it tattooed on his chest, not only as a reminder to the 10 days spent training, but what it was worth it. What took 10 days to earn, he’ll wear forever.

“When Soldiers see my badge, they ask if I was in the Army,” said Grimsley. “But, when I explain how I earned it as an Airman, it creates a sense of camaraderie.”

In a joint environment, cultural knowledge of other branches can go a long way. For Grimsley, a Marine turned Airman, earning an Army Air Assault Badge was another big notch in an already impressive military career.