# SkyHawks



## skura (5 Aug 2004)

Hey everybody;

I turn 16 in a couple weeks and have gotten VERY interested in our army, specifically the paratroopers (I'm not ever sure if our paratroopers are called SkyHawks, I got lost on the army.gc.ca site), and I still dont know much if anything about our army so please dont get upset with me if I have no idea what your talking about when you respond to me or I ask some pretty stupid questions...lol, I'll get it though...but back to what I want to know about...

I was wondering what kind of training (besides basic training) a paratrooper would have to take? (there was something else I wanted to ask, if it comes to me I'll respond to this thread with that question...and I will probably have more questions in the future)...I also appologize if there is a similar thread to this somewhere on this site (or even this set of forums)...I did take the time to look so I hope this is the first post of its kind...

Thank you to anyone who reads this and takes the time to respond.

::EDIT:: If you do not know off hand I would also appreciate a link to site with any information that may help me.


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## skura (5 Aug 2004)

No worries, I did a little investigating of my own on this site and found the answers I needed


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## skura (6 Aug 2004)

Well that didn't work out...as soon as I thought I found some answers I just found more questions...again I ask if anyone has a website I can check out about Canadian Paratroopers or any answers for me about their training (in as much detail as can be given) please do so...sorry for the flip flop...and thanks again


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## rdschultz (6 Aug 2004)

I know very little about what steps are taken, or about the idea in general, but I can provide a start:

http://army.ca/forums/threads/487.0.html

I don't know what else to suggest, as I don't have any other websites, I just found that using the search function.  As well, just so you know, most of the people in the Canadian Forces (at least, as far as I'm aware)  who are jump qualified are part of the infantry, which means they are in the Army. 

The SkyHawks are a parachute demonstration team.  They perform at airshows and things like that.


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## skura (6 Aug 2004)

Ya...lol...I figured out about the SkyHawks yesterday...now I just look like an idiot ...

Thanks for your help hoser


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## digital (7 Aug 2004)

this site should help. its the official site... http://www.army.forces.gc.ca/Land_Force/English/3_3_1_1_0.asp


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## skura (7 Aug 2004)

The SkyHawks are a parachute team who preform at airshows and other events (such as SARS stock last year and the 60th anniversrry of D-Day in Normandy, France later this year)...

The team is made up of 10 permanent memebers and 8 other members who are in the Armed Forces from accross Canada, but they are strictly a jump team...but that's not what I wanted to know about...I wanted to know about the training (besides basic and battle school) is needed to become a paratrooper...

I thought our paratroopers were called SkyHawks which is why I named this thread SkyHawks...I later realized that the SkyHawks (though the team contains paratroopers) are a jump team and a jump team only...

So sorry for the confusion, and thank you for you post anyway


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## saintjoseph (8 Sep 2004)

Everyone in the CF undergoes the same basic training courses and then specializes. I believe most paratroopers come from the combat arms and thus are usually Army, and not Airforce or Navy. So you would do basic, then Common Army Phases (CAP I, II...X or whatever), then to your trades training. From there I think you can take other courses to get jump qualified and eventually become a paratrooper. 

I believe becoming a paratrooper would be analogous to becoming a combat diver. My buddy was a combat engineer for a number of years, felt like he wanted a change and managed to get on the combat diver course. Now that he has passed the course, he still does the combat engineer thing...but on a more limited basis because he has to keep qualified as a diver so he is always out on the coast on different diver courses.


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## saintjoseph (8 Sep 2004)

I forgot to mention that my uncle was a Skyhawk for a number of years and he has so many great stories. Sounds like it would be a blast to be apart of that team if  you ever get a chance.


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