The United States Special Operations Command

United States Special Operations Command

The United States Special Operations Command is the Unified Combatant Command charged with overseeing the various Special Operations Commands of the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps of the United States Armed Forces. The command is part of the Department of Defense...

 (USSOCOM) Parachute Team is composed of volunteers from the United States Army

United States Army

The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...

, Navy

United States Navy

The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

, Air Force

United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...

, Marines

United States Marine Corps

The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...

 and U.S. government civilians. They are selected for the team after a rigorous training program. They participate with the USSOCOM Parachute

Parachute

A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag, or in the case of ram-air parachutes, aerodynamic lift. Parachutes are usually made out of light, strong cloth, originally silk, now most commonly nylon...

 Team in addition to their regular duties, with training conducted during off duty time.

The USSOCOM is two of nine unified commands

Unified Combatant Command

A Unified Combatant Command is a United States Department of Defense command that is composed of forces from at least two Military Departments and has a broad and continuing mission. These commands are established to provide effective command and control of U.S. military forces, regardless of...

 in the United States military's combatant command structure. The bulk of the command's 47,000 people are made up of Army Rangers

United States Army Rangers

United States Army Rangers are elite members of the United States Army. Rangers have served in recognized U.S. Army Ranger units or have graduated from the U.S. Army's Ranger School...

 and Special Forces (Green Berets); Navy Sea/Air/Land (SEAL) teams; Air Force combat controllers, pararescuemen and combat crew airmen; and Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations forces.

History

Formed in 1991, the USSOCOM Parachute Team represents the elite of the United States armed services, its Special Operations Forces (SOF). Team members are trained for a variety of combatant and humanitarian missions. One of the many techniques used for undetected infiltration into enemy zones is the dangerous and difficult military freefall (MFF) operation.

Techniques

The team normally jumps from an altitude of 12,500 feet above ground level, freefalling approximately 2 miles, reaching speeds in excess of 120 miles per hour. This freefall can last up to one minute. During their freefall, the members of the team maneuver their bodies, like the flight surfaces of an aircraft, to form numerous aerial designs and formations

Formation skydiving

Formation skydiving is the art of building formations in free-fall with multiple people gripping each others' limbs or specially built "grippers" on their jumpsuits....

 in the sky. When the jumpers approach an altitude of 4,000 feet, they will break their formation and glide in different directions. As each team member reaches an altitude of 2,500 feet, they will begin deploying their parachutes. Once open, the members steer their parachutes and perform what is called "stacking

Canopy formation

A canopy formation is a formation built by parachutists by flying their parachutes in proximity to each other and then taking grips on other jumpers' parachutes....

." Stacking enables the jumpers to form up in the air as a group and land one behind the other, with precision accuracy.

The USSOCOM Parachute Team modifies the military aspects of MFF operations and provides graphic displays of intricate maneuvers and precision canopy control techniques. Jumps by the team may include carrying a flag

Flag

A flag is a piece of fabric with a distinctive design that is usually rectangular and used as a symbol, as a signaling device, or decoration. The term flag is also used to refer to the graphic design employed by a flag, or to its depiction in another medium.The first flags were used to assist...

 or passing a baton while descending in freefall, all while wearing burning smoke canisters attached to their boots to allow viewers to see them better.

Currently

The USSOCOM Parachute Team has appeared at numerous military and civilian airshows, sporting events at all levels (professional, college, high) and various patriotic, civic and school celebrations throughout the United States. Members of the USSOCOM Parachute Team have established themselves as showmen, traveling ambassadors, and SOF recruiters for the Department of Defense

United States Department of Defense

The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...

.

External links

• USSOCOM website