Black Team Starts the Weekend Off Right at Andrews

The Joint Services Open House got off to a strong start today for Black Team at Andrews Air Force Base in Washington, DC. The weather tried to put a damper on things but the team didn’t back down, waiting patiently for the ceiling to lift in order for take off. Finally, the pilots were granted permission to take off and the jumpers were swiftly on their way up to see if they could find a hole in the clouds. Miraculously, the cloud layer at 700 feet began to break up and Assistant Team Leader SSG Brandon Valle had a clear view of the drop zone.

The team threw wind streamers and before the streamers were even on the ground, the message came across the radio that the jump would need to happen within seven minutes or the plane would have to land with the jumpers aboard in order to make the time-line for the following acts. So Black Team kicked it into high gear and did what they do well…SSG Valle quickly came up with an alternate plan and the team immediately put it into action in order to make the new jump time. There was clearly not enough time to put a narrator out on the first pass and the remaining jumpers out on a separate pass (which is normal procedure for a demonstration jump), so SSG Trevor Oppenborn, who was performing ground duties, stepped up to the microphone and narrated the show from the ground. The original narrator, SGT Rachel Medley, took a place with the remaining jumpers and the team performed a canopy relative work show in one pass from 2000 feet.

After the jump, the jumpers made their way to the Army Virtual Experience tent and signed autographs for a very enthusiastic group of air show fans.

The weather looks promising for the rest of the weekend so hopefully there will be no more clouds to contend with. More to follow as the weekend unfolds!

Story and photos by SGT Rachel Medley

Photos:

1. SSG Todd Beckel (left), and SFC Arlyn Slade sign autographs today at the Army Virtual Experience.
2. SSG Brandon Valle explains night jump procedures to a captive audience, as SGT Tylor Wheeler and SSG Todd Beckel stand by.
3. SGT Tylor Wheeler shows some prospective recruits what pushups are all about.

Tagged as: Black Team