Airborne Op Pictures From 06/14/05

[hicks]

Here are a few of the pictures. If you want to see them all, then head here. Below are the pictures with an explanation.

This is me sitting in the Black Hawk, waiting to lift off from Normandy Drop Zone. I'm in the center of course. To my left is SSG Willis. I don't know the guy to my right.




Here is a picture to crew cheif took of me exciting the Black Hawk at 2300 feet Above Ground Level (AGL). You can the guy's feet next to me. lol




This is another picture the crew cheif took. The picture immediately following this one is the same, just me circled in a thin red line.






This is me and Jack Richards. His truck was hit with an IED in Iraq. He received the Purple Heart and is still undergoing surgeries on his left leg.




This is me and Chris Park hanging out waiting to load for our first jump. I'm in the center with my ballastic helmet under my right arm for those who don't know what I look like right off hand.




Now, the following are a few pictures I took on the way down during my first jump from 1500 feet AGL.

[hicks]

The following pictures are a few I took from inside the Black Hawk while I watched my 1SG jump. I didn't jump on this bird, just observed.








My 1SG exiting at 1500 feet AGL.




Well, I posted most of them, but on that link are a few more of the helicopters and other stuff.

Hope you enjoyed!

[bebbaboo]

Wow. Thank you for sharing. I'm so proud of you! What a fine looking group of young men. Thank you for being there for us .... You are what makes America the strong, proud nation that we are. Now I know some on this list will disagree with that, but I'd hate to think of what the world would be without our young men being willing to stand up and be counted.

THANK YOU Hicks .. and pass that THANK YOU around to your buddies that are standing by your side.

[radstar]

I'm so jealous!!! Jumping out of a black hawk! That is sooo awesome. Well I assume you jumped off a black hawk seeing a picture you took while floating in the air. But it's still awesome to even sit on black hawk in the air. Man.. that's awesome.

How did you feel?? Scared?? Fascinated?? I would be frickin excited man...

But I don't think it would be exciting to do this kind of stuff. War and combat stuff... I'm with bebbaboo. Thank you..

[hicks]

Wow. Thank you for sharing. I'm so proud of you! What a fine looking group of young men. Thank you for being there for us .... You are what makes America the strong, proud nation that we are. Now I know some on this list will disagree with that, but I'd hate to think of what the world would be without our young men being willing to stand up and be counted.

THANK YOU Hicks .. and pass that THANK YOU around to your buddies that are standing by your side.

You're way too kind. I'm just doing my job and loving it.

Thanks for such kind words!

[hicks]

I'm so jealous!!! Jumping out of a black hawk! That is sooo awesome. Well I assume you jumped off a black hawk seeing a picture you took while floating in the air. But it's still awesome to even sit on black hawk in the air. Man.. that's awesome.

How did you feel?? Scared?? Fascinated?? I would be frickin excited man...

Yep, I got two Black Hawk jumps on Tuesday, and they are the best ones you can get. 6 second free fall, barely any opening shock... 1500 feet on average. It's such an awesome feeling.

I wasn't scared, I've been jumping for over 3 years and I have 32 jumps as of right now, but you're always alittle nervous because anything can go wrong. But also, being a JumpMaster and senior parachutist, I'm pretty confident in my quipment.

This was my second and third Black Hawk jump. I jumped one other time in November and that time I was totally nervous. As you might be able to see int he first picture, you just sit on the edge of the bird with your feet dangling in the wind. It's such a wild ride!

[Lafce]

Nice photos, Hicks.

[SharkmanSIX]

Hicks, very cool.
Speaking for my friend looking over my shoulder and myself, we want to say that we have great respect for you and all other men and women who are serving for their country.
And cool pics.
So are you in the reserves or what? DETAILS

[hicks]

Thanks! I'm just doing my job though, and I love it.

I'm active duty. Airborne Infantry at Fort Bragg, NC. I've been in for 4 years and I've loved every minute of it.