Head Down Into A Pool For Annual Water Training

In the skydiving community, flying head down is quite a common position for various formations, but it was recently something quite different for members of the Golden Knights U. S. Army Parachute Team ... and it caused quite a splash! Instead of falling out of the sky from 13,000 feet, the teams were falling into a royal blue pool of cool water for annual water training.

The Team conducts parachute demonstrations and tandem parachute jumps across the nation at various locations around bodies of water, which require them to wear water wings in the event they have to make a water landing. At 0700 the team arrived put on their ACU’s, boots and parachute gear and the team Safety Officer Karen, Morrison began the safety brief and informed the teams that they would report to a water station and proceed with the classes prepared for the morning event .Upon completion each team would rotate to a new location and continue with training.

Each individual was to swim fully clothed the length of the pool, tread water for ten minutes, jump into the pool with water wings deployed and swim from beneath a canopy, which was floating on the water on top of them.

The Tandem Team had extra training to complete since they actually have the lives of Centers of Influence and other Soldiers in their hands every day through the Army’s Tandem Orientation Program. They took turns carrying a “Tandem passenger” into the pool with them to simulate actually going into a body of water with a passenger who may not be a swimmer.

FMI: www.armygk.com