Candidates Graduate US Army Parachute Team Golden Knights 2010 Assessment and Selection Program at Raeford Drop Zone

Members of this year’s Assessment and Selection program run to the teams Twin Otter . Throughout the program they run everywhere. (Photo by: Donna Dixon)

The U.S. Army Parachute Team the Golden Knights’2010 Assessment and Selection program will be conducting the annual Graduation program on Tuesday, November 2 at Raeford drop zone.  The program began with 16 and ended with 9 Soldiers who endured the  8 weeks of intense training vying for a position on the elite team. They have truly earned the right to wear the prestigious black and gold uniform—representing the Army’s Official Ambassadors.

: Candidates learn to remove spoons from cans to prepare for next jump. Army Parachute Team demonstrators where red smoke grenades on a bracket strapped to their foot to enhance the visual effects for jumps at air shows and events. (Photo by: Donna Dixon)

To be selected to the team, an individual must be on active duty status, have completed 150 free fall parachute jumps and have a good military and civilian record. Individuals submit their packets for selection, a process that includes a rigorous six-week assessment and selection program of training. Members that successfully completed the six-week training program were knighted today in a special ceremony as an official member of the Golden Knights.

Class of 2009: graduates and cadre of the 2009 Assessment and Selection Program (Photo by: Sean Capogreco)

Class of 2008: One of the larger classes to graduate in recent years. Historical class graduating 5 females. (Photo by: Donna Dixon)

Class of 2007: SFC Jeff Shafer lead 2007 tryouts program. (Photo by: Sean Capogreco)

Class of 2006: LTC Dave Standridge greets cadre and new team members to knight them.

Class of 2005: Candidates of the 2005 program