AF Pararescue - PJs

First thing I hear when I tell people what "9 Line" is about is, "What's a PJ?"  I've heard everything one could possibly hear, was even asked once, "why would you write about pajamas?"  Many people think Pararescue is merely a glorified parachuter or jumper, or the same as the Armies Paratrooper.  However, they are more, much more.

Air Force Pararescue Jumper, PJ, is an elite special operations unit that is known for going into adverse conditions to rescue the fallen.  They train for over two years in all aspects of the special operations fields, to include airborne school, dive school, underwater egress, survival school, freefall parachutist school, paramedic school, and pararescue recovery school.  The training starts at Lackland AFB in what is know as the Indoctrination Course:  an extensive 10 week course of rigorous physical conditioning, swimming, running, weight raining, etc.  If you survive INDOC you will be one of few.  The current drop out rate for PJ school is 85% - basically if you starting class in INDOC is 100 people, only 15 from that original class will graduate some two years later....

To be continued...