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Luke supports Wings of Blue visit

  • Published
  • By Teresa Walker
  • 56th Range Management Office
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  The Air Force Academy Wings of Blue Parachute Team completed 4,918 jumps during a two-week period in March while at Gila Bend Auxiliary Field in southwestern Arizona. The team also set a new world record here as well.

A new collegiate skydiving world record was set at Gila Bend Air Force Auxiliary Field, when 46 Air Force Academy Wings of Blue cadets linked in the air. The cadets jumped from three aircraft at 17,500 feet and had 90 seconds of freefall to complete the formation. Once together, the jumpers held their position for 10 seconds before separating to open their canopies. The Wings of Blue also hold the previous records for 39 and 41 jumpers linked as well.

Lt. Col. Michael Love, 98th Flying Training Squadron commander, descended on Gila Bend Auxiliary Field in March with more than 100 cadets, instructors and team members to accomplish their annual jump training. Along with the 46 Wings of Blue jump team members were active-duty personnel, Wings of Green cadets, and support personnel, including civilians, who assisted with coaching, training, rigging and maintaining the parachutes for the team.

Love is a pilot in the unique position of being required to fly the plane for the jumpers as well as being a jumper. He has come full circle; he was once a cadet with the Wings of Blue training at GBAF many years ago himself.

"It's a thrill, no doubt about it," he said. "This is a unique program for sure. And to get the chance to come back after 20 years to command the unit that I was a part of as a cadet makes the experience even more special."

According to Love, the transition of the auxiliary field from an active-duty base to contractors hasn't changed much in terms of support to the team; it's still just as fantastic as before.

"The support we receive here from the 56th Fighter Wing is superb," Love said. "The weather combined with the dedicated support makes this a productive two weeks, no doubt. We couldn't accomplish as much as we do each year without the support of Gila Bend personnel."

The primary mission of the Wings of Blue is to run the Air Force basic free-fall parachute course. The course is the only first-jump program in the world where students make their first freefall jump without assistance. To qualify for the Wings of Blue, jumpers must earn a set of wings with a different color.

Tech. Sgt. Juston Demke, the 491 course director, is an instructor in charge of Wings of Green, the prerequisite to the Wings of Blue. The course is a full academic year in length where 25 cadets each vie for the privilege of being chosen as one of the few selected to become Wings of Blue team members.

"The panel for the Wings of Green uses specific criteria to select the cadets who will join our team," Demke said. "Out of 120 applicants this year, selection was based on an essay and an interview in front of the seven-member panel. Then, we have to use our best judgment to make the selections. They also have to maintain a 2.6 GPA to stay in the program."

Cadets spend time in the classroom for two days to learn and rehearse the safety information needed to make jumps. Repetition for safety is paramount. Then they are put in an airplane to jump solo. All have had five jumps prior to coming to the academy.

"Our job entails putting them through the first jump course to get them fully demo qualified," Demke said. "I think the coolest thing is that going into their junior year, after the 491 course, (Wings of Green) they will get to be in the 490 program (Wings of Blue). I'm training them to take the current juniors' jobs and the juniors will move up to senior positions; our job is to get them ready to be 491 instructors."

Jump operations began at the auxiliary field as soon as the team hit the ground. There was no time to waste and airplanes were taking off and landing constantly on the airfield to achieve so many jumps in a short period of time.

Cadet 1st Class Willis Brown, a 22-year-old senior from Indianapolis, is majoring in legal studies. He became interested in the parachute team after he saw the Wings of Blue jump.

"I had never seen anything like that before, so I took the 491 course," he said. "I chose to try out and haven't looked back. Jump is the most competitive program at the academy so you're already up against the top cadets. You have to go in with some level of competence. At the end of the day you have to realize you can't be uncertain in our business."

According to Brown, cadets are considered active-duty while attending the Air Force Academy and they receive cadet pay, room and board, food, and medical care is provided as well. Once a cadet graduates, he has an obligation to the Air Force.

"We live in dorms at the academy and we have a cadet medical clinic -- they take care of us," Brown said. "My goal is to become a contracting officer at the base level; I'm headed to Hawaii when I leave here. We commit at our junior year and owe five years once we graduate."

Brown had 555 free fall jumps and his goal was to achieve 600 jumps by the time he left GBAF. He believes safety is paramount in jumping, and the most gratifying aspect of his job is the cadets he instructs.

"I would say the most important thing I'd emphasize is safety," he said. "The risk is high so the safety aspect is critical. Our safety record can be attributed to the cadets and the officers and NCOs who are the true experts. I get the unbelievable opportunity to see cadets take their first step off the plane -- that's extremely gratifying."

A small group of staff members stayed behind to conduct tandem parachute jumping with members of the 56th and the 944th fighter wings as thanks for their support for the operations.