b'United States Army Parachute TeamFalling To Earth an average of 60,000 people per show. The team has earned the U.S. Army 2,148 gold, 1,117 silver, and 693 bronze medals in national and international competition. At 120 Miles Per Hour Team members have also broken 348 world records. Performing precision aerial maneuvers while falling toThe Golden Knights are one of only three Departmentearth at speeds reaching 120 miles per hour, then landingof Defense-sanctioned aerial demonstration teams, along dead center on target is the trademark of the United Stateswith the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and the U.S. Air Force Army Parachute Team, the Golden Knights. Thunderbirds. Now after more than 50 years of entertaining both youngThe team is composed of approximately 95 men and old with their amazing aerial skills, the men and womenand women, which includes four parachute units, anof the Golden Knights continue to show audiences aroundaviation unit and a headquarters. The demonstrationthe world why they are the worlds best parachute team.teams, which use five dedicated aircraft, perform atStationed at the Home of the Airborne, in Fort Bragg,more than 100 events per year.North Carolina, the 90 soldiers that make up the Golden The tandem section is known for taking Soldiers,Knights come from many diverse backgrounds and havecelebrities and heads of state on jumps, and thebeen trained in at least one of the 200 military occupationalcompetition section focuses on winning nationalspecialties offered by the United States Army.and international skydiving events.A distinguished tradition of performing excellenceTeams That Make Up The Golden Knightsdescribes both past and present members of the UnitedThe Golden Knights are made up of several expert teams States Army Parachute Team. The original Airborne Soldiersand skilled professionals who all play a critical role in the established high standards for parachuting, Armys success. This includes parachute teams, aircraft personal conduct and esprit de corps as a team. pilots, and even those behind-the-scenes handling jump Subsequent team members, past and present, continuelogistics. Whether youre jumping out of planes goingto enhance the tradition with their achievements and120 miles per hour or learning how to land with expertcontributions to the United States Army, to the art of militaryprecision, youll embrace the thrill of adventure and feel parachuting and in their continual dominance of sport proud while doing it.parachuting worldwide. Demonstration TeamGolden Knights are Army Soldiers first, but they alsoThe Demonstration team consists of 26 membershave a unique history and creed that sets them apart. committed to supporting Army recruitment efforts. They History travel the country and perform for large audiencews across In 1959, nineteen Airborne Soldiers from various militarythe country at festivals, air shows, and sporting events.units formed the Strategic Army Command Parachute TeamTandem Team(STRAC). Brigadier General Joseph Stilwell Jr. gathered theThe Tandem team is a group of specialists in tandem Soldiers with the intent of competing in the relatively newparachuting, accelerated freefall parachuting, and freefall sport of skydiving, which at that time was dominated photography who give first-time jumpersfrom community by the Soviet Union. That year, the U.S. Army team beganleaders to civiliansthe opportunity to be a Golden representing the United States on the international com- Knight for a day. These Soldiers are chosen from the petition circuit, and performed their first demonstrationDemonstration Team to familiarize people with thein Danville, Virginia. Two years later, the Department ofU.S. Army and give them the thrill of their lives fromDefense announced that the STRAC team would become12,500 feet.the United States Army Parachute Team.By 1962, the team earned the nickname the GoldenCompetition TeamKnights. Golden signified the gold medals the team The Competition teams expertise is in freefall formation had won while Knights alluded to the teams ambition toskydiving competitions where jumpers link together to form conquer the skies.geometrical formations within a set time limit. They compete Since then, the Golden Knights have conducted more at the national and world levels, earning some of the highest than 16,000 shows in 50 states and 48 countries, reachingaccolades in parachuting and skydiving history.16 Power In The Pines 2023 JBMDLAir and Space Open House'