Carson-Newman University president to jump with the U.S. Army’s Golden Knights

Dr. J. Randall O’Brien, president of Carson-Newman University

Carson-Newman University President Randall O’Brien has been invited to parachute with the U.S. Army Golden Knights on Tuesday, June 13. The jump will take place at Fort Knox in Kentucky.

The Carson-Newman president will jump with representatives from several other institutions including Vanderbilt University, Middle Tennessee State University, Indiana University and Ohio University.

Scott Bryant, who serves as Carson-Newman’s ROTC recruiting operations officer, says such a jump with the Golden Knights is a unique opportunity.

“It’s not something you can pay to do,” says Bryant, who will be escorting O’Brien to Fort Knox from Jefferson City. “This is the Army’s elite jump team, so this is literally a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

O’Brien is a decorated Vietnam veteran who served with the 101st Airborne Division. He received, among other decorations, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the United States Air Medal, The Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross, and the Bronze Star.

Last year the Carson-Newman president jumped with Skydive East Tennessee in support of Carson-Newman athletics and C-N’s soccer program. O’Brien issued a challenge prior to the University’s first 2013 home soccer game. Aimed at promoting fan support among the community and some 2,000 Carson-Newman students, the University president committed to skydiving if 1,000 fans attended the Sept. 14 opening game.

The US Army Golden Knights is the U.S. Army’s official parachute team. It consists of demonstration and competition parachutist teams, drawn from U.S. Army paratroopers who have demonstrated excellence in their parachuting skills.