Army ROTC Raises Awareness —
to 13,000 Feet Above Sea Level
by David Wenger
The morning begins with waiver forms. There are five of us sitting in an upstairs room of a small airport facility in San Antonio: a high school principal, a coach, a community college administrator, a businessman and me, director of communications at McCombs School of Business. With each page we are purposely signing our legal rights away as a U.S. Army officer paces the room.
“Team safety is our number one concern. We take every precaution and use the newest and safest equipment; however there is always the possibility of injury or DEATH!” He shouts the last word, but the reaction is mostly laughter around the table. Within the hour each of us will be plunging from an airplane at 13,000 feet, hitched in tandem with a Golden Knight sky diver. At this point we’ve already wrapped our minds around the what-if-I-die question.
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For 43 years the Golden Knights have been performing aerial demonstrations around the country, more than 230 days a year. In 2004 they air-delivered the 41st president to the grounds of the George Bush Presidential Library on his 80th birthday. How hard could this be?
The invitation to jump came through Lieutenant Colonel Kevin Vizzarri, a professor of military science at the university. “Spreading the word about Army ROTC,” is his explanation for the event. “We want people to know there are opportunities for students to be commissioned as second lieutenants while they pursue their degree.” Kevin is the guy standing next to Chuck Norris on the Longhorn Battalion ROTC website (http://www.utexas.edu/depts/arotc/).
Waivers signed, we are loaded onto a Go Army plane and our adventure begins. There is a weight limit of 500 pounds per tandem team, including 65 pounds for the chute. The Golden Knight assigned to me is Joe. Joe is a very small guy, let’s leave it at that.
At 13,000 feet the jump door is slid open. I’m wearing my brave face, but as I watch the first jumpers disappear in the expanse below I feel a moment of panic. No time to worry, we are already crouching at the open door, Joe strapped to my back with the all-important parachute.
One, two, three, four, we roll out. Within seconds the Joe/David package is free falling at 120 miles per hour, an incredible rush of wind and adrenalin. Fireworks are going off in my brain, my mouth an open canyon of gee-whiz awe. I finally manage to collect my thoughts long enough to flash Hook ‘em Horns to the videographer diving next to us, and then the chute deploys and with a gentle lurch we are immediately surrounded by absolute quiet. Small clouds drift in the sky below us. I am astounded by the beauty and peace of this moment.
Your mother will tell you never to sky dive. Logic argues against it. None of that matters. I know one thing, if the Golden Knights ever knocked on my door again, I would jump with them in a heartbeat. Chuck Norris would understand.
For information on specific programs at the McCombs School, consult our contacts page. For media information, contact the Communications Director by phone at 512-471-3314 or by email at CommunicationsDirector@mccombs.utexas.edu.
