You are in an airplane traveling at a speed of 150 miles per hour with 90 pounds of combat gear on your body, preparing to jump out of the aircraft - which is 1,500 feet above the ground.
Who in their right mind would do something like this? Debbie Klepacki, an 18-year-old junior at Kent State University would. In fact, Debbie spent three physically and mentally demanding weeks at the United States Military Airborne School doing just that.
Debbie is an ROTC scholarship recipient who studies psychology, Russian and military science at Kent. In January her commanding officer chose four of the top cadets in her battalion to attend Airborne School; Debbie was one of them. When asked if she would accept the honor of going through this challenging course, Debbie was a little reluctant. Airplanes and heights were not things that agreed well with Debbie, and the thought of jumping from an aircraft was not too appealing to her, either.
"I was frightened at the thought, but I realized what an honor it would be to go and become part of an elite group of soldiers," Debbie said. "I also saw how much it would mean for my family to see the first Klepacki and first female in our family to go through the military and become a U.S. paratrooper."
Airborne school is three of the most grueling weeks one could imagine, and Debbie trained for months to prepare. Once she arrived in Ft. Benning, Ga., she was told that all the training she did to prepare would be thrown out the door, for Debbie was chosen to be part of an experimental company whose standards far exceeded the other companies. "When I first arrived in `Charlie Company,' my first thoughts were that of failure," Debbie said. "I was told that I would be running three to five miles every day at a six-minute, 30 second to 7-minute pace, with a 35-pound pack on my back in 90-degree weather. Our instructors told our company of 360 personnel that the Charlie Company before us started with 46 females and only graduated two. I didn't think I had a chance."
Debbie proved herself wrong, because out of the 41 females in this company, for this cycle, six females graduated and she was one of them. Women were not the only ones to drop out, though. Thirty-six men fell from the course as well, because the physical training was very demanding.
"At times the training was so difficult that I actually saw men crying," Debbie said. "You can imagine how hard it was. Somehow I just sucked up the pain and drove on."
Airborne was not only painful physically, but mentally as well.
Each day Debbie woke up anywhere between 3 and 4:30 a.m.
She went through a two-hour physical training session that had three to five minutes to eat breakfast. Her training day then would begin and would not end until 6 p.m. Throughout the training day, Airborne students would constantly be getting yelled and screamed at.
For the smallest mistake, on the command of "DROP!", students would assume a good push-up position and start knocking out push-ups.
"Our sergeant Airbornes usually made us do push-ups until they got tired of watching us do push-ups," Debbie said. "That never happened so we pushed until muscle failure."
Training consisted of learning how to wear the parachute correctly, how to exit the aircraft properly, what to do if your parachute does not open and - if all goes well on the jump - how to land properly.
Hour after hour, day after day was spent on PLFs (parachute landing falls) and mental preparation, but the waiting was worthwhile. Week three - jump week - finally came.
"I have never experienced anything like it and words cannot explain it," Debbie said. "You go from one minute being in a noisy C-130 or C-141 aircraft, then the next minute you leap out into the "great wide open" and everything is so peaceful and quiet. Birds fly by you and then before you know it you are on the ground. I had an advantage of being lightweight so I landed softly but some of the guys I jumped with hit the ground like a sack of potatoes."
On Debbie's first jump, she was the first person out the door. "As I stood at the door looking out all I saw was the ground below me moving at very rapid speed and all I could do was think of was my parachute better open and the only words coming out of my mouth were `Oh, my God, Oh my God, Oh my God.'"
When Debbie got the signal to "GO" she took a big step out of the plane and the wind did the rest.
It pulled her right out of the plane and in two seconds her chute opened.
She landed so light on her first jump that she actually ended right on her feet. Not all of her jumps went that well, though.
On her second jump, the wind caught her and carried her one and a half miles away from where she was to land. On her third jump, she hit the ground real hard. On her fourth jump she had a brush with trouble when she found herself walking on someone else's parachute in the air and on her fifth jump - which was done at night with 90 pounds of combat gear on - she hit trees but fortunately her combat gear did not deploy like it should have and it hit the tree first, preventing her from having two broken legs.
"I truly believe that someone upstairs was watching me," she said. "I had too many close calls to come out of this with only a few bruises, but I am not complaining."
Debbie is so glad that she had this experience. It is one that not too many of her peers have ever had. When Debbie's mom, Ann Klepacki, was asked what was next in store for Debbie, she replied: "I don't know what she'll do next. After jumping from an airplane there is not too much left to give me a heart attack, but unfortunately I am sure she will find something."
Debbie hopes that more people choose to add adventure to their lives by joining the military.
It is very rewarding, she says, and she believes the lives of many of our young people can change if they step up to the challenge.
"I am happy with what I have accomplished," she said. "I just hope that others can find hope and motivation in what I have done. It is a great feeling being part of a special group of soldiers and I take great honor and pride in now being a United States paratrooper."
Questions about Airborne school, the military or college, write to Klepacki at 1129 Stevenson Road, Ashtabula.
It's a new year with new beginnings for both of us. My best wishes will be with her and I hope that she enjoys her reign as much as I have. I have enjoyed representing the Ashtabula Harbor area as I have lived here all of my life.
It was nice spending time with my parents getting ready for the parades as my mom would shop for decorations and there was my dad blowing up balloons to decorate the car I would be riding in.
The parades became a family project as we prepared for the Grape Jamboree, Oktoberfest, Christmas and Memorial Day parades. The time we spent together was very special to me as we all have hectic schedules. My sister even came home from college one weekend to see me off in the parade.
My life has changed a lot this past year as I am now a 1997 graduate of Harbor High school. I can't believe it's over. I was so busy my senior year it just flew by. I think I have grown the most this past year as I believe maybe that's the way it is supposed to be to prepare you for a new beginning.
I'll be attending Kent State University main campus and hopefully transferring to Florida for marine biology.
When crowned as Harbor Days queen, I was in glorious shock. My girlfriend and I had decided to enter the contest at the last minute, something fun to do for summer. My mom chuckled when I told her and said, "Good luck Honey...I know you can do it."
She always said I was a last-minute person or would call me a typical "teenage procrastinator." We had no time to prepare. We had our junior prom dressed handy - (not in moth balls yet), I helped my girlfriend do her nails, I did mine, we did our hair and we were ready to go.
When my mom and I were going through pictures preparing for my graduation open house, we had many pictures to smile at and reminisce. My sixth-grade field trip with Mr. Kurnova, my pet bunny, first-grade Halloween party, brownie camping trips, dance recitals, gymnastics, seventh grade cheerleading and the biggest smiles earn with Harbor Days '96. How exciting that day was!
When I entered my senior year at Harbor High School that fall, all my friends were excited for me and proud to have the crown at Harbor High. When your alarm wakes you every morning you have to wake up with a goal and destination.
I was so looking forward to my sixth year of cheerleading. That was my drive. I worked very hard since 7th grade and sacrificed many other interests to be there. I believe in school spirit, sportsmanship, leadership, and team work. I wore our school colors with pride. That was my destination.
At the beginning of the school year I was chosen to represent HHS for fashion advisory board for the Ashtabula Mall. I met so many nice people and had the opportunity to work with other teens my age representing their schools. We were always doing something fun while planning the fashion shows. The store merchants were very nice to work with.
I also volunteered to teach a cheerleading clinic at Colleen's School of Danse with my friend. It was a success. The girls went to competition and placed third. If I wasn't at cheerleading practice, football or basketball games, working on a fashion show or parade, I was helping my mom work at our family-owned business to get through the busy season or I would be spending time with my 90-pound golden retriever puppy. He sleeps in my twinsize bed with me every night and is my best friend.
I will not be sad to give up my crown to the new 1997 Harbor Days queen. I will be happy for her and hope that she wears it with pride as I did.
As for me, there will be another new beginning.
This year's contest will prove to be even more spectacular than last year. We're very excited about the event as it is getting closer and closer.
Anyone interested in pick up forms at the Harbor First Merit or BJs Beach House. All girls entering grades 9-12 in Ashtabula County qualify.
Contestants will compete in short interview and evening gown competitions. There is a $20 sponsorship fee. The contest will be held on the evening of Aug. 1, 1997. Entry deadline is Saturday.
For example, the upcoming eighth-grader lives in Ashtabula but goes to school in Geneva. (OK, when school's in session.)
She likes to play soccer and models at Barbizon Studios in Cleveland. Does that make her a model soccer player?
Her biggest accomplishment this past school year: Good grades.
Biggest mistake: "Going out with Gus." (Sorry guy.)
Least favorite class: Math.
Ah, but it's a good thing to know when you're keeping those soccer scores.
Anyway, 49.3 percent of teens think handguns and assault weapons should be outlawed, while 34 percent say no and 16.7 percent are clueless.
Should teens face the same treatment as adults?
You bet, say 44.1 percent or respondents, 23.7 say no and 33.2 don't know (clueless.)
Does violence in the media affect the real world, like movies, TV and music lyrics? Well, 41.8 percent say yes, 39.5 say no and 18.7 are too busy with movies, TV and music to know.
Is dating violence common in your area? teens were asked. Yes said 35.8 percent, 48.5 said no and 15.7 were again, clueless.
Harbor Days queen
reign nears an end
By BOBBIE JO FUSCO
Soon I will be crowning a new Miss Harbor Days queen 1997 to take my place.Stuff
Teen spotlight
Stuff
Carissa Rich is a diverse person.What teens think
A teen magazine, 360 Degrees, took a survey of teens of their opinions on violence. SO READ THIS STUFF OR DIE! No wait, sorry, we'll try to keep ourselves in check.Depressed?
Are you a teenager who sleeps too much but never feels rested, cries a lot, has little interest in anything including former hobbies? That's what a 17-year-old girl was experiencing when she wrote to columnist Ann Landers. She decided it was depression and asked Ann for help. Read her reply in Wednesday's column.
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