Have you ever heard of the US Army Golden Knights? Before you answer that question, think carefully! Because if you’ve ever watched an Army / Navy football game, or seen the Indy 500, or basically any other major event where Army parachutists dramatically land in the center of the action then you have seen the Golden Knights!
I should note that the Golden Knights are the same team that took President George Bush on a tandem jump just a few months ago.
But it’s not all about thrill-seeking. The tandem missions have roots in real-world applications. For example, these Airborne Special Forces team members are called upon to deliver mission critical supplies or personnel into war zones. As an example, sometimes a translator, doctor, or other specialist might be needed in an emergency situation. But without parachute training they need to be personally delivered into a hot zone. That’s where the tandem certified team comes in.
But there are other teams too. Some do demonstration jumps, like into the Coca Cola 600 NASCAR race, skydiving exhibitions, or even high school sports events.
When I wasn’t preparing for the jump I was turning my camera on the team, and I’ve selected nearly 100 of my favorite photos from the trip to try and share the story of what it’s like being a Golden Knight. I’ll share more later, and for those of you who are attending OpenCamp, I’ve got some special treats in store for you. Stay tuned…
The Photos
Here is a slideshow of the entire photo set I uploaded to Flickr. If you’d like to view the set on Flickr directly you can do that here.
I am so thrilled to have gotten a once-in-a-lifetime chance to jump with the US Army Golden Knights at the Thunder Over the Rock Air Show at Little Rock Air Force Base.
Thanks guys!
Amazing. Thrill of a lifetime, to jump and hang out with such chaps of integrity!
What a nice experience! I wish I could have the chance like this. Anyway, enjoy your lucky days with the US Army.
Hi John,
Found your website this morning. Amazing jump! I’m curious about the small chute you and your jump partner had open before the others who jumped also. Was that to help keep you from free falling faster than your jump buddies?