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Soldier Sets Wing-Suit World Record
(April 22, 2010) |
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Sgt. 1st Class Arlan
Slade assists Staff Sgt. Ben Borger with his wing suit and
gear. |
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ATLUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. (ANS - April 16, 2010) -- As
excitement grew, Staff Sgt. Ben Borger soared through the gleaming blue skies
over the fields of Altus Air Force Base, breaking the current world record for
the distance flown in a wing suit flight.
Borger exceeded all expectations recently when he made a frigid
45-degree-below-zero leap from an Air Force C-17 from an altitude of 32,000
feet. From the point of exit to landing, he flew 11.5 miles in 6 minutes and 35
seconds beating his own record of soaring 10 miles at winter training in Yuma,
Ariz., last year.
Prior to the jump, Capt. Bryan Bailey, from the 58th Airlift Squadron, conducted
an intensive mission briefing to ensure all bases were covered. There were
medical briefings, special oxygen mask fittings, weather checks and a final
walk-through of the immense jump platform.
Capt. Cristy Zahn, the aerospace physiologist, gave a very thorough
physiological brief explaining all of the details involving hypoxia prevention.
Borger and his in-flight team safety representative and team jumpmaster Sgt. 1st
Class Arlan Slade and each crew member had to be pre-fitted with two special
oxygen masks for the historical flight.
Capt. Bailey and Capt. Jesse Newberry piloted the aircraft in a 35-mile loop
surrounding the drop zone. While climbing to altitude, Flight Surgeon Lt. Col.
Randy McCalip and Staff Sgt. Calvin Jones, from the |
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19th Aerospace Medical Squadron, safeguarded the crew and
were instrumental in assuring this mission was successful. |
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Borger joined the Army in 2002 as an Infantryman and served in Iraq for 14
months while assigned to the 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii. After
successfully completing the intense Assessment and Selection Program, Borger was
assigned to the team as a Black Team Demonstrator who is continually telling the
Army's story by reaching out and touching the American public. Every weekend
they travel across the country connecting the American people with America's
Army.
He has fulfilled his mission as a
Golden Knight and is carrying on the colossal
image set by his peers more than 50 years ago by fulfilling one of the team
missions in research and development.
Borger said that the equipment he was testing for this jump worked flawlessly.
The professionalism and skill of the pilots and crew were what made this record
jump possible, he said, adding the teamwork and support from Col. Oates, Capt.
Zahn, Capt. Bailey, Capt. Newberry and from the entire Altus community was
phenomenal.
In closing Borger said, "In breaking the world record, I hope to make a
substantial mark in wing suiting and through our research and development for
U.S. Army." | |
Article and photo By Donna Dixon,
USAPT
Copyright 2010
Reprinted from
Army News Service
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