Brother Eric Moen (Phi/North Dakota State 2017) would one day like to be an Army Intelligence Officer. A little over a year ago he contracted with the U.S. Army and has currently achieved the rank of Sergeant. This summer Moen was chosen to attend the U.S. Army’s Air Assault course and he accepted.
“Going to Air Assault School isn’t something you decide to do,” said Moen. “You are chosen by your unit and you accept,” he said.
What was a typical day like at the Air Assault School?
“The students would wake up early about 0500 (5 a.m.) and have an intense morning workout,” said Moen. “After that we ate breakfast and had first formation followed by various educational classes the rest of the day. There were a few breaks where we learned about the topics pertaining to each phase. Each phase culminated with a written exam and a hands-on practical test,” he added.
“The first day of the Air Assault Course is called ‘Day Zero,’" said Moen. It is a day of immense physical exertion and pushes nearly every soldier to muscle exhaustion and failure.” Moen went on to say, “the purpose of the day is to send home the people who are not physically or mentally strong enough to make it through the entire course. You are only considered a student of the Air Assault Course AFTER you make it through ‘Day Zero.’ ”
“After that, training consisted of three phases: Combat Air Assault Phase, Sling Load Phase and the 
Rappel Phase,” said Moen. “The Combat Air Assault Phase consisted of learning about every model of helicopter that the Army uses and their specific capabilities and uses. The Sling Load Phase included instruction on how to rig and inspect sling loads. A sling load is any cargo carried underneath the helicopter using different cables and connection systems. The end goal of the Rappelling Phase was to be proficient in ‘linking in’ to a rope and to quickly and safely rappel from a helicopter while wearing all issued combat equipment,” he continued.
What was his favorite part of the course?
“My favorite part, of course, was the entire Rappelling Phase,” said Moen. “I was able to rappel from a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter. UH stands for Utility Helicopter – meaning that it has a wide variety of capabilities from cargo transportation to combat,” he said. “I love heights and rappelling as fast as I can, so it was an amazing experience and a huge adrenaline rush,” he added.
Is the U.S. Army Air Assault Course something that you would recommend to your Theta Chi brothers?
“For my brothers serving in the Armed Forces, I would recommend not only the Air Assault School, but any of the other possible specialty schools that you can get a chance to attend such as: Mountain Warfare School, Airborne School, or Pathfinder School. Taking these opportunities and earning the award will set you apart from your fellow soldiers and give you a chance to experience something special,” he concluded.