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Golden Knights drop down at JB MDL

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Bryan Swink
  • Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  The Mid-Atlantic Recruiting Battalion hosted the U.S. Army Golden Knights Tandem Parachuting Team April 4 through 7 here, sending local community members on a ride they will never forget.

Approximately a thousand people watched as educators from Mid-Atlantic universities, Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps instructors and members of the local media jumped out of a plane 13,000 feet above ground, strapped to members of the Golden Knights.

The Golden Knights invite guests to skydive as a recruiting tool for young adults.

The recruiting battalion hopes these guest jumpers will share their Army experience with the students, cadets and audiences they encounter daily.

For 50 years the Golden Knights demonstrated Army capabilities, performing in front of audiences at air shows, competitions and most recently, with high-profile tandem jumps. The Golden Knights consist of five traveling jump teams.

The team focuses on bringing the public closer to the Army and the sport of skydiving.

"The tandem team enables the Army to reach out to influential citizens and give them a taste of the professionalism, leadership and teamwork that is involved in giving them a tandem," said Lt. Col. Anthony Dill, Golden Knights Parachute team commander.

Each member of the Golden Knights tandem team has recorded more than 2,000 free fall parachute jumps in their careers. Many of them have more than 10,000 jumps.

For the Golden Knights jumping isn't just about the thrill of falling 13,000 feet. It's about what the jumps represent.

"Being able to show a different side of the Army and showcase the Army Soldiers skills is a great honor," said Staff Sgt. Jared Zell, U.S. Army Golden Knight. "We are representing all of the men and women who are deployed around the world, preserving our freedom."

Golden Knights also have four other teams, in addition to the tandem team. Two demonstration teams travel all over the country performing aerial demonstrations at air shows and special events in support of Army recruiting goals. Two competition teams travel and compete, nationally and internationally, at various skydiving competitions.