United States Army Air Assault School The Sabalauski Air Assault School ( TSAAS ) is a FORSCOM TDA unit located at Fort Campbell , Kentucky . Its primary task is training leaders and soldiers assigned to the 101st Airborne Division ( AASLT ) , other United States Army units and United States Armed Forces service members in several courses annually . Background . Air Assault School qualifies soldiers to conduct airmobile and air assault helicopter operations , to include aircraft orientation , slingload operations , proper rappelling techniques and fast - rope techniques . The school itself is 10 days of rigorous , fast paced training . The high standards of the school require the student to take part in a 12 - mile march with rucksack in under three hours on the morning of graduation to be awarded their wings . The original school is located at Fort Campbell , Kentucky ( home of the 101st Airborne Division ) . There are also or have been schools at Fort Rucker , Alabama ; Schofield Barracks , Hawaii ; Fort Hood , Texas ; Camp Blanding , Florida ; Fort Bliss , Texas ; Fort Benning , Georgia ; Fort Drum , New York ; Fort Ord , California , Fort Richardson , Alaska and elsewhere . Instructors at the course are referred to as Air Assault Sergeants . It is open to both males and females . The school is composed of learning helicopter insertion techniques , pathfinder operations , sling load operations as well as rappelling from buildings , cliffs and helicopters . Each day begins with rigorous physical training that includes unit runs from two to five miles . Attention to detail and tedious packing lists , the contents of which you carry in a 35 pound ruck sack daily , are also the order of the day ; one missing item from these lists or failing any task from any phase of the course , could cause the student to be dropped from the school immediately . Courses offered at the Air Assault School include : Air Assault , Pathfinder , Pre - Ranger , Rappel Master and Fast Rope Insertion / Extraction ( FRIES ) / Special Purpose Insertion Extraction ( SPIES ) Master courses . TSAAS is also home to the Division ' s Parachute Demonstration Team . The 101st Airborne Division , a parachute and glider - borne unit that conducted two jumps during World War II , was converted to an Airmobile unit in 1968 in Vietnam , becoming the 101st Airborne Division ( Airmobile ) . The parenthetical designation changed to Air Assault in late 1974 . According to popular myth , the Airborne tab over the unit ' s Screaming Eagle shoulder patch remained because two of the division ' s units , a parachute rigger detachment and a pathfinder company , were both still on jump status . There is , however , no basis for this under AR 670 - 1 , Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia . According to The Institute of Heraldry , the Airborne tab is “ an intrinsic part of shoulder sleeve insignia , ” not a detachable insignia added if a unit is on jump status , and according to its records the unit is still designated the 101st " Airborne " Division . There are numerous other non - parachute units with subordinate parachute units , such as long range surveillance troops ( company equivalents ) within battlefield surveillance brigades , but their presence does not entitle entire brigades to wear the Airborne tab . Regarding the division ’ s remaining parachute units , it now has one pathfinder company in each of its two aviation brigades , but the rigger unit was separated from the division many years ago . Until late 2013 , parachute rigger support was provided by the locally - assigned 4th Platoon of the Fort Bragg - based 647th Quartermaster Company . In October 2013 jump status for the two pathfinder companies was terminated , leaving no parachute positions within the division , and the rigger platoon departed from the post . Graduation from the Air Assault School is not required to be a Soldier in the 101st , but it is looked upon as an achievement of excellence by the chain of command . In 1998 , a new tower was completed and Phase Three began to train at this site . On 17 December 1999 the new Sabalauski Air Assault School facility was dedicated and for the first time in several years all phases of instruction are conducted at one facility . Over sixty classes are run annually , training over 8 , 000 soldiers per year . Training . Air Assault School is a 10 ½ day course that teaches air assault techniques and procedures , and qualifies soldiers to wear the Air Assault Badge . Zero . Soldiers are not considered “ Air Assault Students ” until after successful completion of Zero , the first day of the course , which requires students to complete an obstacle course and two - mile ( 3 . 2 km ) run . Inspection . This inspection is extremely meticulous . It is conducted after the six mile foot - march on day one . Soldiers must have all items on the packing list each student is given . All clean and serviceable ( in usable condition ) . If a soldier is missing any item during the inspection , that soldier will have points deducted . The inspection has a very specific lay - out that the soldier must adhere to . Every item must be placed exactly how the Air Assault Sergeants displayed on day zero , and all items must be laid out " as worn . " Obstacle course and two - mile run . The obstacle course is designed to assess a student ’ s upper body strength , agility , endurance , confidence , and ability to perform at heights without displaying fear or distress . This test is critical in determining if a student will be able to complete Air Assault School without becoming a safety risk to themselves , instructors , or other students during the tough and demanding training events conducted throughout the course . There are nine total obstacles . There are two obstacles that are considered mandatory , and failing one of the two will result in being dropped from the course . The other seven are minor obstacles , and the Air Assault prospect is allowed to fail one of the seven and still continue . This means that failing two of the minor obstacles will result in being dropped from the course . Prior to the obstacle course , students will conduct a two - mile ( 3 . 2 km ) run . Students must complete the run in under 18 : 00 to receive a " GO " in the event ( meaning satisfactory completion of the event ) . The uniform for the run is Army Combat Uniform ( ACU – minus the ACU Top depending on the season in which the training cycle begins ) with running shoes . Phase One – Combat Assault . Phase One , the Combat Assault Phase , is three days long . During this phase , soldiers receive instructions on the following tasks : Soldiers are given two tests : Phase Two – Slingload Operations . Phase Two , Slingload Operations , is three days long . During the Sling Load Phase , soldiers receive instruction on various aspects of sling load operations . This includes : Students receive hands - on training on preparation , rigging , and inspection of several certified or suitable external loads . These may include the following loads : The soldiers will also conduct an actual hook - up of a load underneath a CH - 47 or UH - 60 aircraft . In this phase , soldiers are given two tests : Phase Three – Rappelling Phase . Phase Three , the Rappelling Phase is three days long . During this phase , soldiers receive instruction on basic ground and aircraft rappelling procedures , to include the following tasks : Soldiers will conduct two rappels on the wall side of the school ' s tower , 9 to 12 rappels from the open side , and two additional rappels from a UH - 60 Blackhawk helicopter hovering at 70 – 90 feet . All rappels are conducted with and without combat equipment . During fast rope familiarization , students conduct a controlled descent and a static hold for five seconds . Students that successfully conduct both descents from a platform then descend from the tower using the stack - out / rapid exit technique . Fast rope descents are conducted without combat equipment . Soldiers are tested on : Soldiers must pass all tests to move on to the next phase and are allowed one retest per exam . The reason the standards of this course are so strict , is because if the soldier does not grasp and then master the skills that are being taught , the chances of an accident increase greatly . The margin for error in this type of training is small . 12 - Mile Ruck March . The final event is the ruck march . Soldiers must complete the ruck march with the prescribed uniform and equipment in three hours or less in order to graduate . The ruck march is a graded task and a graduation requirement for Air Assault School .