HOMESTEAD AIR RESERVE BASE, Fla. -- The U.S. Army Parachute Team "Golden Knights" are back at Homestead ARB for their winter training. For the third straight year, the award winning jump team has come to Homestead to hone their skills and to prepare themselves for the 2012 airshow and competition circuit.
Home based out of Ft. Bragg, N.C., the "Knights" have been wowing audiences at air shows, competitions and most recently, with high profile tandems.
As the "Official Ambassadors of the Army," the team annually reaches a third of our nation by performing spectacular live parachute demonstrations for the American public, manifesting the "Band of Excellence" as displayed by all U.S. Army Soldiers around the world.
In 1959, 13 men joined together to form the Strategic Army Corps Sport Parachute Team, to compete in the then communist dominated sport of skydiving. The team performed so well that on June 1, 1961 the Army officially recognized, designated and activated the team as the U.S. Army Parachute Team.
"On behalf of all of Team Homestead, I am delighted the Golden Knights have once again returned to South Florida. You will not find a more professional and dedicated group of men and women; it is a real pleasure to have them here at the base and look forward to having them perform at the air show in November." said Col. Donald R. Lindberg, 482nd Fighter Wing commander."
The Golden Knights not only perform at air shows, compete on an international level and perform high profile tandems they also visit high schools and work with local recruiters showing young adults what type of opportunities the Army has for them.
Local South Florida residents will see the team in the skies above Homestead until early March. The group will be back to Homestead ARB to perform at the Wings Over Homestead Air Show, Nov. 3-4, 2012.
For more information, visit the teams Facebook page
http://www.facebook.com/usarmygoldenknights