[Scan-DC] Golden Knights, Skyhawks to perform in DC

[Alan Henney]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  For more information, contact:
Heather Frantz
Shaunteh Kelly

ARMY’S GOLDEN KNIGHTS AND CANADIAN FORCES SKYHAWKS
 TO PERFORM AT THE ARMY TEN-MILER RACE

WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 25, 2006) -- The U.S. Army Parachute Team,
the Golden Knights, and the Canadian Forces Parachute Team, the
SkyHawks, will jump start the Army Ten-Miler race with an aerial
demonstration 3,500 feet in the air Oct. 8, 2006.

The demonstration begins with a jumper exiting the aircraft at 3,500
feet and flying in the national colors. Once on the ground, he will
then narrate the remainder of the team’s performance to the
spectators.

The remaining jumpers will then exit the aircraft simultaneously
trailing plumes of red smoke as they cascade in formation through the
sky. Once the parachutes open, the jumpers land on the target one by
one.

“The Golden Knights personify the creed of mission first, never quit
and never leave a fallen comrade that every American Soldier lives by
in times of war and in times of peace,” said the Golden Knights
Commander Lt. Col. Dave Standridge.

For Specialist Eric Holman, the appreciation of the American public to
the Knights is the most rewarding aspect of his career.

Holman added,” It’s a very humbling experience everywhere you go to
get such an overwhelming amount of support.”

The Army’s Golden Knights embody the spirit of An Army of One, where
each member of the team makes invaluable contributions.

MEDIA OPPORTUNITY: The Golden Knights and SkyHawks will be transported
to the Youth Activity Zone immediately following the jump to repack
their parachutes and interact with the children before the race.
Jumpers will be available to conduct interviews at the Youth Activity
Zone beginning at 7:45 a.m.

EVENT COVERAGE:  If you are interested in obtaining the footage of the
Golden Knights while performing aerial acrobatics in the air, please
contact Heather Frantz in advance to make the necessary arrangements.

ABOUT THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS

For more than 45 years the U.S. Army Parachute Team has been
entertaining both young and old with precision parachute
demonstrations.  The Golden Knights have performed more than 12,000
shows in all 50 states and 47 countries. Annually the team performs
more than 27,000 jumps before an estimated 12 million people.

Thirteen men formed the Strategic Army Corps Sport Parachute Team in
1959. This Team was born to compete in the then communist dominated
sport of skydiving. On June 1, 1961, the Army officially recognized,
designated and activated the team as the U.S. Army Parachute Team. A
year later the team adopted its nickname, “Golden Knights.” Golden
signifies the Team’s stellar reputation of bringing home gold medals
from skydiving competitions. Knights, indicating members of the Team
are champions of principle and conquest who have “conquered the
 skies.”

The team earned the title of the Army’s Goodwill Ambassadors to the
world by proving time and again that they are the best in the world.
The Golden Knights have a three-fold mission: to perform aerial
demonstrations to the public and promote the Army and its recruitment
effort, to compete in national and international parachuting
competitions and to test and evaluate new parachuting equipment and
techniques for improved operations and safety.

“The Golden Knights raise public awareness on the Army, influence the
younger generation to join the Army and reach almost 20,000 people per
show on average,” said Sgt. Maj. Michael Eitniear, the team’s senior
enlisted representative.  In addition to performing in front of the
world and competing, the team also educates the public about what the
Army has to offer, among them: skills and experience in more than 200
job specialties that employers look for in job candidates.  "An Army
of One" begins with each individual.


ABOUT THE CANADIAN SKYHAWKS

The Canadian Forces parachute demonstration team, The SkyHawks, is
comprised of highly professional, skilled, and experienced soldiers
from the Regular and Reserve Forces. The team has conducted over 3,400
parachute descents in preparation for their 2006 season, which runs
from March until October.

Established in 1971, the team has performed in more than 4,200 shows.
They have impressed more than 68 million spectators across North
America and around the world including Japan, France and Australia.
The SkyHawks have demonstrated at the Rolling Stones concert in the
summer of 2003, at the Juno Beach Opening Celebrations in Normandy and
also at the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Holland last year,
highlighting the year of the Veteran.

As a sub-unit of the Canadian Parachute Centre (CPC) based in Trenton,
Ontario, the SkyHawks act as ambassadors at special events, airshows
and schools. The team is renowned for its signature Canopy Relative
Work (CRW) parachute performances and daring displays of aerial
acrobatics. They are easily recognizable because of their parachutes
resembling the Canadian flag.

The team is made up of 10 permanent members and 9 temporary members
from various units of the Canadian Forces. Extensive training molds
the team into high-quality parachutists. The team spends 5 weeks
training in the sunny skies of California, honing their skills toward
a perfect performance. Members of the SkyHawks also provide instructor
assistance for parachute training to members of the Canadian Forces at
the CPC.

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