MANSFIELD — Sandra Spearman wasn’t planning to join an elite military skydiving unit.
But now, the Fredericktown High School graduate is setting sky-high goals.
The U.S. Army Parachute Team, known as the Golden Knights, is a group of active duty soldiers who perform and compete in skydiving exhibitions around the world.
Spearman joined the Golden Knights’ Green Platoon program in October.
The program is designed for high-performing soldiers with little to no sport parachuting experience.
“I’ve always loved everything in the sky. I went to airborne school in 2022 with my reserve unit,” Spearman said.
“I was getting ready for jumpmaster school, and unfortunately, that ended up falling through. I didn’t know what else I was going to do. So, someone sent me the flyer to try out for the Golden Knights Green Platoon program.”
From the beginning, Spearman was excited to train under the best skydivers in the country. But she soon realized the Golden Knights is about much more than skydiving.
The Golden Knights are a source of pride and major recruiting tool for the U.S. Army. Golden Knights are ambassadors, offering the American public a chance to interact with Army personnel and see what it takes to be a soldier.
“It’s a way to work with the community and the American public and show them how wonderful the Army is,” Spearman said.
Spearman hopes to try out for the Golden Knights next year
Spearman graduated high school in 2017 and spent six years in the United States Army Reserves as a human resources specialist.
She currently serves as the Golden Knights’ ground control officer, meaning she is charged with ensuring the parachuters land safely.
After a yearlong train-up, she will have the chance to try out for the Golden Knights.
The process is intense.
“It’s probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, and I’ve done a lot in my military career,” said Staff Sgt. Jonathan Rivera, who joined the Golden Knights in November.
“We also go through a two-month selection, which tests you mentally and physically.”
After making the team, soldiers spend two months training and about 250 days on the road each year, Rivera said.
“It takes a lot of grit and fortitude. You’ve got to really want it,” Rivera said. “It’s such an honor to be on this team.”
“We get to go around to all different states and countries and show the American public what we can do, and just inspire people to do better,” he added.
The Golden Knights did just that Friday night at Arlin Field at Mansfield Senior High School, where they performed for the Peace on My Block Festival.
The Knights’ plane circled the city for over a half hour. Soldiers took turns walking over to an open door at the rear of the plane, leaning out and scoping out the terrain.
Spearman prepared for their landing from the football field, monitoring weather conditions and relaying critical information to the team.
After their performance, Spearman and the Golden Knights remained at the event to speak with children and their families. They signed autographs and let kids try on their parachute packs.
“We had a great turnout tonight. Being local, I didn’t even know there was this many people in the area,” Spearman said. “We had kids that were just storming us. The kids were super involved, and the team loves that.”
Tom Hager is the principal at Mansfield’s Malabar Intermediate School and the primary organizer of the Peace on My Block Festival.
He said his hope was that the Golden Knights would inspire the children in the audience and get them thinking about their future goals.
Spearman said she shared a similar aspiration. She said her advice to other small-town kids is to dream big.
“I’ve been all over the United States and all over the world because of the Army. It’s given me so many different opportunities with education and travel, and of course, I love my country and everything that I can do for it,” she said. “It’s been a great opportunity.”
Below are photos of the U.S. Army Golden Knights descending onto Mansfield’s Arlin Field on Friday evening. (Credit: Hayden Gray)
Knox Community Hospital proudly supports the vibrant pulse of our community by sponsoring the Life & Culture section on Knox Pages, celebrating the stories and experiences that make our region unique.
