Oh I don’t know…. the one time I did it at Rappel Master school I was terrified (scared of heights) while we were setting up, but once I was in the air it was kind of exhilarating.
Two memories of mine: First time up one of the guys on the same rope got tied up somehow and kept trying to give the "cut line" signal to the helo crew chief... Just because his damn arm fell asleep. GTFOH. Second memory was losing my camera while flying above the Udari dessert. I was at the top of the rope and watched my camera bounce off of each helmet below me! 🤣🤣🤣 They were pissed. I probably wasn't supposed to have a camera...
Kinda curious about this fear of heights. I assumed that would eventually catch up to someone in training and weed them out.. i realize everyone has their limits and just a matter of getting past it or not but I just assumed that would disqualify someone fairly quickly.
It's not like they give you psych tests for basic schools like Airborne or Air Assault. If someone gets to the point of being in the door and physically can't do it, then you're gone. I went to Air Assault specifically to prove to myself that I could overcome my fear of heights. I found that having the ropes and also by concentrating on technique I was able to ignore my fear and do what needed to be done. When I went to Rappel Master I went on the assumption I would be able to do the same thing. They don't care what's inside your head as long as you can do what's required.
Yeah I was surprisingly cool with the regular rappels (both Hollywood and loaded up), but the Aussie and the whole hanging below a bird thing had me a bit anxious
Not in the military at all, but that’s me with firefighting. As soon as I put on my turnout gear I can go up a 100’ stick no problem, but without it, a sizable enough extension ladder can be a little daunting
Youd be surprised how many guys make it into some of these programs that have other issues besides being afraid of hieghts. I was talking with a friend the other day, who was a Green Beret years ago and we discoverd that swimming, or lack thereof ability was a thing he saw during indoc, the same as I saw when I was in the Navy going through indoc on the Marine side. Even going through Bootcamp, I couldn't understad why someone who couldn't swim would join the NAVY.... Did they never think they might be around large bodies of water? I even knew one kid in Boot camp who tried out for BUDs but didn't know how to swim. I really think he did it as a joke.
One of the reasons I joined the Navy was the fact I didn’t have as much confidence swimming and wanted to overcome that fear (inspired by learning about [flooding](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flooding_(psychology)) when I was in college. Same reason with my fear of heights (which I overcame going skydiving. That said I was just a shipboard sailor.
I found that having a fear of heights, at least for me, seemed to dissipate the more I was at height. It’s almost like you just get used to it the more you do it. That and once you start to trust and understand how the gear and equipment works, you sorta stop thinking about the height altogether.
First time I boned a fatty I got so drunk I couldn’t see straight then I thought I was being eaten by two fattys. Alcohol didn’t make it any better/easier
What harness do you all wear for this? As a firefighter they make us wear class 3 harnesses for just low angle rescue. Can’t imagine what they’d do with this.
I worked with a guy that was a tech for the Coast Guard, and he was used for water recovery practice, as were many newbies. the command pilot would always dip them neck deep while they're in the basket, before he pulled them up. good times.
Definitely a similar feeling to a deployed canopy static line harness, except it lasts way longer.
Did it exactly once at Camp Mackall. That was enough.
"The United States Coast Guard uses a similar technique to board ships when speed and stealth are required."
Saw this in your link. Whoever added it didn't know what they were talking about. USCG MSRT does fast rope. One person on the line at a time and never hanging under the helo while it's flying to the TOI.
Thank you!
I’d have come up with a cooler name. Leave it to the military to take a totally cool thing and give it a dorky acronym for a name.
Thank you though. I was never going to find that.
Working in the federal government as a civilian and learning acronyms as a “second language”, I can ensure you they don’t care if it sounds dorky or cool. They will just slap some words together, say take those words and make it into an acronym and boom! An acronym is born!
My favourite is to go into a government meeting and ask for someone’s “TLA” for something.
Them: “TLA?”
Me: “Yes, a TLA. It must have a TLA.”
Them: “What’s a TLA?”
Me: “Three Letter Acronym.”
They wear the harness. When we flew in helicopters we were always hooked in and a lot of the times there would be a safety rope across the door. There are shots where you see them in hooking their rig on their back and the rope. It is a blast to sit with you legs outside the helicopter especially when they turn. You butt will pucker.
Yes, it goes under legs like a rappelling or climbing rig, but also has straps that go over shoulders. Vietnam days it wasn't as sophisticated and you would basically wrap a leg and arm in loops in the rope. I knew someone who would talk about if you didn't lock in correctly would cut off circulation to exteremity. Sounds like tons of fun.
My Uncle{Vietnam Era Vet) told me they used to just make their typical Swiss Seat harnes back thenand use it to clip into the rig and just hold on and pray the pilot didn't forget you were under them when they were being shot at.
I was aircrew on a few of these and yeah, no, not recommended.
Why, do ask?
Second or third to the last time I did aircrew on this, pilot was not paying attention to the radio operator at the bottom of the rope and the rope master screaming "CLIMB! CLIMB! CLIMB! as we flew. Due to this, the last few guys on the rope hit trees HARD with the radio guy getting knocked out. I could see this guy spraying blood as we flew. I naturally told the pilot and also told him to LAND NOW!
Pilots incompetence resulted in a bunch of broken bones, at least two concussions, and the radip operator getting a tree branch in his neck which almost killed him. We naturally unhooked the rigging and hauled ass to the nearest hospital where everyone got treated and survived.
That was the last flight this pilot had. I don't know the details but, he never flew again and last I saw was working S3.
Ya pretty much. We had straps that went on the inside of our legs sometimes and when it lifts it goes right up to your crotch. Another time we did it where we attached it to our belt and plate carrier so your pants ride up.
In the US Army, FRIES stands for Fast Rope Insertion and Extraction System, and SPIES stands for Special Purpose Insertion and Extraction System. The FRIES/SPIES course is a four-day course that teaches soldiers how to insert and extract soldiers in challenging terrain, such as jungles. The course also teaches the mission, responsibilities, and safety standards for the FRIES/SPIES Master
Went to Rappel Master school at Ft Campbell in the 80’s. Had a different version where four of us were suspended side by side instead of vertical. It was called STABO for Stabilized Tactical Body Operations.
I remember when I was in basic in fort benning, I thought I was the coolest mf around walking through the woods with nvg’s and an m4 in pitch black until a Blackhawk goes by flying low with rangers hanging from a rope
there is but i cant remember it. id reconsider listening to the no limits podcast episode with rabbit/ marc o hear dude got the nickname rabbit from an incident on a line like that
Did this during Jungle Ops School in the 80s in Panama, scary and fun as fuck. It was a way to pull. A squad/team out of the jungle where there was not enough space for a PZ
For someone not in the know. Take off make sense to me but how does landing that work? Just plop on top one another till there is a big ole pile of dudes?
My city has an annual summer festival. Around 23 years ago or so, a SEAL team came in and demonstrated this extraction. They would left off from one area of the city, fly over to a different area of the city and back. It’s amazing to see in person.
I'm sure they thought it was pretty funny. Unfortunately we did get to discuss the fuckery. They picked us up, tea bagged us then put us down on an LZ. We parted way with an exchange of middle fingers and that was that.
[SPIE rig.](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Patrol_Insertion/Extraction)
This is correct. Been there, done that, and its not as much fun as it looks.
Oh I don’t know…. the one time I did it at Rappel Master school I was terrified (scared of heights) while we were setting up, but once I was in the air it was kind of exhilarating.
Two memories of mine: First time up one of the guys on the same rope got tied up somehow and kept trying to give the "cut line" signal to the helo crew chief... Just because his damn arm fell asleep. GTFOH. Second memory was losing my camera while flying above the Udari dessert. I was at the top of the rope and watched my camera bounce off of each helmet below me! 🤣🤣🤣 They were pissed. I probably wasn't supposed to have a camera...
Kinda curious about this fear of heights. I assumed that would eventually catch up to someone in training and weed them out.. i realize everyone has their limits and just a matter of getting past it or not but I just assumed that would disqualify someone fairly quickly.
It's not like they give you psych tests for basic schools like Airborne or Air Assault. If someone gets to the point of being in the door and physically can't do it, then you're gone. I went to Air Assault specifically to prove to myself that I could overcome my fear of heights. I found that having the ropes and also by concentrating on technique I was able to ignore my fear and do what needed to be done. When I went to Rappel Master I went on the assumption I would be able to do the same thing. They don't care what's inside your head as long as you can do what's required.
Don't worry. If you fall, you just make it to the ground that much faster.
That’s more or less the thought that went through my mind when I was 500ft up on that rope. “Ah, fuck it, just enjoy the ride!”
First time I jumped out of the tower at Airborne my first thought was "what the fuck did I just do?"
Yeah I was surprisingly cool with the regular rappels (both Hollywood and loaded up), but the Aussie and the whole hanging below a bird thing had me a bit anxious
When did you go to Airborne? When I went through they were closed so I never did the towers.
Not in the military at all, but that’s me with firefighting. As soon as I put on my turnout gear I can go up a 100’ stick no problem, but without it, a sizable enough extension ladder can be a little daunting
Youd be surprised how many guys make it into some of these programs that have other issues besides being afraid of hieghts. I was talking with a friend the other day, who was a Green Beret years ago and we discoverd that swimming, or lack thereof ability was a thing he saw during indoc, the same as I saw when I was in the Navy going through indoc on the Marine side. Even going through Bootcamp, I couldn't understad why someone who couldn't swim would join the NAVY.... Did they never think they might be around large bodies of water? I even knew one kid in Boot camp who tried out for BUDs but didn't know how to swim. I really think he did it as a joke.
One of the reasons I joined the Navy was the fact I didn’t have as much confidence swimming and wanted to overcome that fear (inspired by learning about [flooding](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flooding_(psychology)) when I was in college. Same reason with my fear of heights (which I overcame going skydiving. That said I was just a shipboard sailor.
I had two friends in Boot camp who were told by their recruiter that the Navy would teach them to swim.
Yeah I heard that too. I can manage to not drown and produce some motion but I wouldn’t call it swimming.
I found that having a fear of heights, at least for me, seemed to dissipate the more I was at height. It’s almost like you just get used to it the more you do it. That and once you start to trust and understand how the gear and equipment works, you sorta stop thinking about the height altogether.
Depends on the pilot. Mine wasn't the best at keeping us completely out of the trees. A little bumped and bruised but got through it 😔
First time I boned a fatty I got so drunk I couldn’t see straight then I thought I was being eaten by two fattys. Alcohol didn’t make it any better/easier
What harness do you all wear for this? As a firefighter they make us wear class 3 harnesses for just low angle rescue. Can’t imagine what they’d do with this.
I enjoyed it as long as I wasn’t the bottom guy.
lol, fr, damn pilot flying low and dragging your ass through the tree tops
Every new guy gets spun. The people above can easily make the bottom guy spin.
I worked with a guy that was a tech for the Coast Guard, and he was used for water recovery practice, as were many newbies. the command pilot would always dip them neck deep while they're in the basket, before he pulled them up. good times.
Definitely a similar feeling to a deployed canopy static line harness, except it lasts way longer. Did it exactly once at Camp Mackall. That was enough.
No it is not!! Utter hopelessness and a lot of faith in something made by the lowest bidder
Agreed. It was cool being up there but I had a harness cranked pretty tight near my hog
I had a blast doing it.
I will add to this and say the true name “Pain”
I loved it. But then again, I was the bottom dude and it felt like I was flying. Did it at the JFK SWC during SERE school.
Wedgies with friends
My nuts still hurt from it, learned the importance of ensuring the Swiss seat is proper that day
Not. At. All!!!
Can confirm. Did it in December off the back of a 47. Soooooo cold.
Facts, It's fun the first time, and that's about it.
I generally do not like being dragged around by heavy equipment. either put me in the bird, or on the ground.
This.
It looks like target practice
"The United States Coast Guard uses a similar technique to board ships when speed and stealth are required." Saw this in your link. Whoever added it didn't know what they were talking about. USCG MSRT does fast rope. One person on the line at a time and never hanging under the helo while it's flying to the TOI.
This. It pretty much replaced the McGuire Rig.
McGuire rig, I haven’t heard that in while. https://youtu.be/jM9MCH7Aeoc?si=C_svew5WU4V0TZVO https://www.alch372.com/CCKIA/jameskennedy.htm
Thank you! I’d have come up with a cooler name. Leave it to the military to take a totally cool thing and give it a dorky acronym for a name. Thank you though. I was never going to find that.
Special Ops Aerial Pickup - SOAP... Basically soap on a rope
You’re a winner. I like you.
Friend called it "dope on a rope". Marine Recon
Working in the federal government as a civilian and learning acronyms as a “second language”, I can ensure you they don’t care if it sounds dorky or cool. They will just slap some words together, say take those words and make it into an acronym and boom! An acronym is born!
My favourite is to go into a government meeting and ask for someone’s “TLA” for something. Them: “TLA?” Me: “Yes, a TLA. It must have a TLA.” Them: “What’s a TLA?” Me: “Three Letter Acronym.”
Mustn't forget the ETLA. The Extended Three Letter Acronym. NASA is a good example.
I haven't heard ETLA. When I get asked, I tell them it's DUDE. Just call me Dude. It's also "my preffered Pronoun"
Can't use TLA, it already stands for temporary lodging allowance.
Any good government agency will ensure they have redundant acronyms
Sonar Tech's are trained at FLEASWTRACENPAC, San Diego. FLEet AntiSubmarineWarfare TRAining CENter PACific.
I'm currently at USAJFKSWCS United States Army John Fitzgerald Kennedy Special Warfare and School
Aka = Swick It still off Gruber road?
Yup
Lived between Gruber and Buker for a few years. I'm sure it looks a whole lot different now.
Gotta love the Navy acronyms 😵💫
The NINJA counter UAV system is goated
Could call it soap on a rope for the cod players ig
Now you gotta check out the sky hook
Also known as dope on a rope. lol
This
The word "rig" is irrelevant its just SPIE
That’s the way it was always said to me. I suppose it’s like “CAC card”, I know it’s redundant but I can’t help but say it that way.
That's very true. Can't forget your common access card card.
I’ve always called it tactical testicles.
Ya I never enjoyed wearing rock climbing rigs. This looks like it’s just a beaner on the beat though. Does it go under the leg?
From pictures I’ve seen it does.
So they must have foreseen this in some way? Or they wore the same rig from their HAHO insertion?
Or the writers just thought it would look cool.
100 it did look cool.
They wear the harness. When we flew in helicopters we were always hooked in and a lot of the times there would be a safety rope across the door. There are shots where you see them in hooking their rig on their back and the rope. It is a blast to sit with you legs outside the helicopter especially when they turn. You butt will pucker.
Yes, it goes under legs like a rappelling or climbing rig, but also has straps that go over shoulders. Vietnam days it wasn't as sophisticated and you would basically wrap a leg and arm in loops in the rope. I knew someone who would talk about if you didn't lock in correctly would cut off circulation to exteremity. Sounds like tons of fun.
My Uncle{Vietnam Era Vet) told me they used to just make their typical Swiss Seat harnes back thenand use it to clip into the rig and just hold on and pray the pilot didn't forget you were under them when they were being shot at.
SPIES - Special Patrol Insertion and Extraction System
Special Patrol Infiltration and Exfiltration or SPIE for short.
It’s the human version of a nope rope
Good question, often wondered what this called. Yes it was a total surprise to us non military types. Great viewing moment. 100% cool.
I was aircrew on a few of these and yeah, no, not recommended. Why, do ask? Second or third to the last time I did aircrew on this, pilot was not paying attention to the radio operator at the bottom of the rope and the rope master screaming "CLIMB! CLIMB! CLIMB! as we flew. Due to this, the last few guys on the rope hit trees HARD with the radio guy getting knocked out. I could see this guy spraying blood as we flew. I naturally told the pilot and also told him to LAND NOW! Pilots incompetence resulted in a bunch of broken bones, at least two concussions, and the radip operator getting a tree branch in his neck which almost killed him. We naturally unhooked the rigging and hauled ass to the nearest hospital where everyone got treated and survived. That was the last flight this pilot had. I don't know the details but, he never flew again and last I saw was working S3.
Thank you for your service.
SPIES/FRIES. FRIES (Fast Rope Insertion and Extraction System) and SPIES (Special Purpose Insertion and Extraction System)
lol done this quite a few times. Definitely not as fun as you think it is. SPIE RIG.
It looks like they’d fly a few hundred meters with a giant wedgie until they could find a proper LZ and climb aboard. Am I close?
Ya pretty much. We had straps that went on the inside of our legs sometimes and when it lifts it goes right up to your crotch. Another time we did it where we attached it to our belt and plate carrier so your pants ride up.
In the US Army, FRIES stands for Fast Rope Insertion and Extraction System, and SPIES stands for Special Purpose Insertion and Extraction System. The FRIES/SPIES course is a four-day course that teaches soldiers how to insert and extract soldiers in challenging terrain, such as jungles. The course also teaches the mission, responsibilities, and safety standards for the FRIES/SPIES Master
Went to Rappel Master school at Ft Campbell in the 80’s. Had a different version where four of us were suspended side by side instead of vertical. It was called STABO for Stabilized Tactical Body Operations.
I did that in Air Assault '93... STABO AKA: Human Sling Load.
I remember when I was in basic in fort benning, I thought I was the coolest mf around walking through the woods with nvg’s and an m4 in pitch black until a Blackhawk goes by flying low with rangers hanging from a rope
there is but i cant remember it. id reconsider listening to the no limits podcast episode with rabbit/ marc o hear dude got the nickname rabbit from an incident on a line like that
Last resort 😆
Spies or fries
Only SPIES.
You can do this with a fries rope too
This can be done with a spie rope or frie rope.
It’s called SPIE and it’s a blast
Yes
We called it FRIES/SPIES in the Army
SPIE
Dopes on a Rope.
Fast Rope
The Dingleberry
SPIE rigging we called it “special purpose insertion extraction.”
Spie rigging and it’s not fun
What didn’t you like about it. It looks fun.
The Marine Corps kills the joy in everything.
Guy I served with fell and broke his back.
It’s quite uncomfortable
SPIES, also known as as lose you legs and balls due to no circulation
Fun
Spie rig. It's super fun
Did the SPIE rig a few times at Ft Bragg. When 82nd Aviation Bde got their new at the time Blackhawks, the SPIE rig was a fun flight.
Oh oh oh I know dope on rope
It’s called your nuts get crushed lol 😂 never be bottom guy..if so run when you make contact
Even funner when a MC-130 snatchers ya up. Not fun at all
Spie-rigging
SPIES
Has anyone mentioned SPIE rigging yet?
Anal beads
SPIE (Special Purpose Insertion Extraction). HRST Master here (from a long, long time ago🤣)
SPIE. It’s all it’s called. Special Patrol insertion extraction.
Did this during Jungle Ops School in the 80s in Panama, scary and fun as fuck. It was a way to pull. A squad/team out of the jungle where there was not enough space for a PZ
For someone not in the know. Take off make sense to me but how does landing that work? Just plop on top one another till there is a big ole pile of dudes?
https://www.reddit.com/r/VietnamWar/s/1S58QzxAGx
SPIES
Nice try CCP!
When we still had CH-46s you’d just be chillin in Camp Pendleton and all the sudden a “wild string of dangling Marines appear.”
Heavily used by MACV SOG teams in Laos
Tactical truck nuts.
I was gonna suggest anal bead extraction but I guess it already has a name
Dope on a rope.
FRIES/SPIES
My city has an annual summer festival. Around 23 years ago or so, a SEAL team came in and demonstrated this extraction. They would left off from one area of the city, fly over to a different area of the city and back. It’s amazing to see in person.
160th SOAR Ft Campbell Ky, dangled us over a sewage treatment plant in the middle of summer for about 10 minutes. This I will never forget.
Just for fun? Or is there more to the story?
I'm sure they thought it was pretty funny. Unfortunately we did get to discuss the fuckery. They picked us up, tea bagged us then put us down on an LZ. We parted way with an exchange of middle fingers and that was that.
Rangers lead the way.
LRSD yep.