WHAT IS A RIGGER?

THE RIGGER’S PLEDGE

INTRODUCTION

Are you an ex-paratrooper? Are you reading this? Then you can thank a Rigger. He (there were no female Riggers in those days) did his job! But, we all took that as a given. You first saw a Rigger on your first jump. It was a comforting feeling when the Rigger told us that we had our parachute on correctly - at least we started out with a little hope. We remember the Rigger as the person wearing the red baseball cap and may or may not have noticed that the cap and his fatigue jacket, above the name tag, had a different set of wings – Rigger Wings. In the 50’s Rigger Wings were embroidered in white, trimmed in  black with the word RIGGER in red. Today they are metal like your paratrooper wings. Every time we jumped we bet our life and good health on the Rigger. Why?

WHAT IS A RIGGER?

First we, like you went through the Army Basic Training Course. Then some of us also went through Advanced Airborne Infantry School, in my case at Ft. Jackson, SC with the 101^st. I and two others were assigned to the 11^th Airborne Quartermaster Company (Parachute Supply and Maintenance) Company, based on our performance and test scores. As a note of interest we were told that the average education level of the Army was 8^th grade, while that of the 360 plus company of Riggers was 2 years of college. Next, like you, it was off to Jump School (for me with the 11^th Airborne Division at Ft. Campbell, KY). After qualifying as a paratrooper I was sent to Rigger School  (Officially the Parachute Packing Maintenance and Aerial Delivery Course) which was located at Ft. Lee, VA. This was a three month plus course located on a Quartermaster Basic Training Fort. (Was that fun for an 18 year old just out of Jump School?)

Being a Rigger was more than just being trained. We took our job very serious. There were constant reminders of the importance of doing each of the many tasks involved in packing a parachute correctly. For example the following signs hung in the pack shed in view of all the packers:

THINK ABOUT IT!

We did!

For those of you, like me, who can’t read the Rigger’s Pledge shown below the words are shown to the right of the picture:

THE RIGGER’S PLEDGE

I will keep constantly in mind that until men grow wings their parachutes must be dependable.

I will pack every parachute as though I am to jump with it myself, and will stand ready  to jump with any parachute which I have certified as properly inspected and packed.

I will remember always that the other man’s life is as dear to him as mine is to me.

I will never resort to guess work and I know that chance is a fool’s God and I, a Rigger, cannot depend on it.

I will never pass over a defect, nor neglect any repair, no matter how small, as I know that omissions and mistakes in the rigging of a parachute may cost a life.

I will keep all parachute equipment entrusted to my care in the best possible condition, remembering

always that little things left undone cause major trouble.

I will never sign my name to a parachute inspection or packing certificate unless I have personally performed or directly supervised every step, and am entirely satisfied with all the work.

I will never let the idea that a piece of work is “Good Enough” make me a potential murderer through a careless mistake or oversight, for I know there can be no compromise with perfection.

I will keep always a wholehearted respect for my vocation, regarding it as a high profession rather than a day-to-day task, and will keep in mind constantly my grave responsibility.

I will be sure – always.

 

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