NY Air Guard Senior Airman Christopher Navarro, a Yonkers resident, completes Army Air Assault School at West Point
Stewart Air National Guard Base, Newburgh, New York (08/22/2023) — New York Air National Guard Senior Airman Christopher Navarro, a Yonkers resident, graduated from the demanding Air Assault Course taught at the United States Military Academy at West Point.
Navarro, a member of the 105th Airlift Wing's Base Defense Squadron, was one of seven airmen who completed the course.
The 105th Airlift Wing, located at Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh, flies the C-17 Globemaster III strategic transport on missions around the world.
Security forces Airmen like Navarro are trained to secure air bases around the world and also provide security for aircraft on the ground.
The Army's Air Assault course prepares personnel to conduct helicopter assault operations. During the ten-day course the participates learn how to rappel from a hovering helicopter, sling load ammunition, weapons and equipment under CH-47 and UH-60 helicopters, and the tactics for leaving a helicopter under fire.
The course is physically demanding. Soldiers must complete obstacle courses and run between evens. The final event is a 12-mile timed march carrying a weapon and field pack.
Personnel who complete the course are entitled to wear the Air Assault Badge on their uniform.
"The days are long. We would wake up at 0400 to do physical training and then move on to academics followed by hands on training," Navarro said.
"There were tests throughout the course as well. You would be exhausted from the training all day, but you would still have to spend the evening studying and then prepare to attack everything again the next day," he said.
The Air Guardsmen got the opportunity to take part in the training, because West Point had vacancies in the class and reached out to the 105th Airlift Wing to fill them with qualified personnel.
Out of 260 people who started the course 185 finished.
"Having our base defenders complete Air Assault School not only inspires others to success, it instills confidence and adds skills set for agile combat deployments, "said Major Brian Ibbs, the commander of the 105th Base Defense Squadron.
"It also enhances our interoperability with the Army in joint operations," Ibbs said.
Media Attachments
New York Air National Guard Senior Airman Christopher Navarro,at far right, from Yonkers, who completed the Army's Air Assault School at West Point on August 6, poses for a photo with four other Airmen who completed the course, Senior Airman Nixon Castro, Staff. Sgt. William Suggs, Staff Sgt. Cristian Marulanda, and Staff Sgt. Casey Clemente.
New York National Guard
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