Airborne School

[Oscar_Geare]

Rangers jumped into Kurdistan in '03.

[Metzger]

Yes, but than they moved into the friendly FOB that was right next to the DZ. It was just for show to keep the Iraqi army looking North.

While yes, they jumped on top a NATO controlled airfield, remember the strategy. The jump was six days after the initial push from the south and 4 days after the jump the entire brigade was boots-on-ground with its vehicles and tanks from 1-63. Might look like a show, but they fortified their position and brought in the rest of their guys and equipment.

[Metzger]

Rangers jumped into Kurdistan in '03.

If were really going all out here, their recon guys jumped into Afghanistan in '04. Although that was MFF and not static line.

[SPC (Ret) D. Lee]

Airborne school slots aren't too common to get for 11Bs throughout the 101st (division pathfinders lost their active jump status like a year ago, and they were the last Airborne unit). All 11As I've met went through during West Point or ROTC before Ranger School, but only some of the more senior enlisted (or dudes who PCS from Airborne units) rock the winged 'chute around here.

Air Assault School on the other hand, is extremely common. Something like 90% or more of a line Infantry company is Air Assault qualified (and yet division as a whole is only at like 40%, thanks POGs), new guys are sent within a couple weeks of reporting, and get (hazed, then) sent back if they don't pass. I don't know how you guys are going to recreate the silliness of AASLT in Arma, but if I weren't out of the country right now I'd dig up the old Sabalauski Air Assault School handbook for you. There's probably a digital version floating around the internet anyway.

[Hopp]

What exactly would be the purpose or benefit of it for our needs?

well aren't you guys a airborne Regiment from the 101st?

The Current military has kind of moved away from dropping people out of C-130's. Its very impractical, people can get separated, shot at, parachute failures, landing in tress, landing in the wrong area and getting all together lost. Yes it is in rare cases still done, but for the most part we are an Air Assault unit and training with the blackhawks is usually done at a platoon level. Mass dropping out of C-130s or C-17s would be a big waste of resources unless you were doing a large scale invasion ie: WW2. Were also trying to represent current military operations not re-living the movie Band of Brothers

 
Actually since the start of airborne units there have been more than just paratroopers. Glider troops landed in France in WW2 and heliborne troops since Viet Nam. The difference between Airborne and non airborne units are that they have the capability to move the entire unit that way.
So, an airborne unit can glide, paradrop, or  air assault into a landing/drop zone. The 82nd is a great example as well as the 101st.  I believe you would be hard pressed to find another entire Division capable of either "method".

Cheers!