Behind the scenes with the U.S. Army Silver Wings Parachute Team

FORT MOORE, Ga. ( WRBL ) — As a crowd gathered on the ground, soldiers waited in the sky. The members of the Silver Wings Parachute Team, based at Fort Moore, often perform jumps in recognition of special occasions – in this case, Independence Day.

“What I like most about this team is that we get to volunteer,” said Cpt. Richard Dobson earlier that day as the team prepared.

It was organized chaos as members of the Silver Wings, all of them volunteers, got ready to show off their skills in one of two planned Independence Day jumps.

In his day-to-day, Dobson is an aviation officer, piloting with a range flight company on post. His Silver Wings teammate, Sgt. Oesa Snee, is a medic.

For Snee, being a part of the team is “exhilarating” and “rewarding,” as well as the realization of a lifelong goal.

“It’s actually a dream come true for me,” Snee said, explaining her parents were skydivers. She added, “Being around the community and I always wanted to be part of a demonstration team. So it’s truly remarkable that I’m living [that dream] now.”

As members of the Silver Wings, soldiers put in hours of weekly practice in preparation for their demonstration jumps. The team’s mission is to represent the Maneuver Center of Excellence’s 1/507th Parachute Infantry Regiment Airborne School and assist with U.S. Army recruiting.

Being part of the team also gives members a unique avenue for connecting with the community, especially at annual large-scale events across the region, like Fort Moore’s Independence Day Celebration.

In the aircraft, the Silver Wings waited to jump toward the crowd below. Within minutes, they had jumped, suspended in free fall until they unfurled parachutes for a safe landing.

“It’s very fulfilling to come out and see all the crowds that come out to see us,” Staff Sgt. Mark Lopeman, another member of the team, said. “We put on a good show and they come out and support us.”

Although the team is done with its Independence Day jumps, they are actively preparing for other upcoming demonstrations. The team performs roughly 80 demonstration jumps each year.

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