FORT PICKETT, Va. (May 18, 2017) -- One could question

FORT PICKETT, Va. (May 18, 2017) -- One could question why riggers – those who pack parachutes for airborne units – are so privileged to wear red caps during in-house operations and maroon berets otherwise. There is much substance in the symbolism; not everyone can stomach the duties of dropping from planes flying far above the ground. That sort of audacity creates a powerful camaraderie and a strong sense of achievement of those who do. Recently, fledgling airborne troops – those undertaking training at the Quartermaster School’s Rigger Course – were exposed to this during culmination training at Fort Pickett, located about 45 minutes west of Fort Lee. They performed jumps via Chinook helicopters in parachutes they packed for themselves. The training is designed to drive home the point of how much trust is placed in riggers to competently perform missions. The jumpers’ facial expressions during the operation told the story of this weighty equation. The visuals, however, rarely do justice to the substance of the moment. Maybe the smiles and sense of relief that followed the actual jump were more telling.