FLYING HIGH Female Golden Knight takes first place at U.S. National Championship | By Kelly Twedell
Top | SFC Tennyson makes final adjustments on her toggles as she prepares to shoot an accuracy landing. Above | The Golden Knights style and accuracy competition team takes first place.
Above Right | SFC Tennyson is pleased with her performance as she totes her canopy away to repack it.
S 60 | Winter • 2010/2011
ergeant First Class Elissa Tennyson has her head in the clouds – a lot of the time, anyway. Tennyson is one of six women on the Golden Knights, the U.S. Army’s parachute team. With over 11,000 freefall jumps, Tennyson is almost as comfortable falling from the sky as she is walking on the ground. She’s been affiliated with the team since 1988 and during that time has joined the Golden Knights as they have performed more than
15,000 shows in all 50 states. “I heard about the Golden Knights and thought it would be an awesome job to be
an ambassador for the Army,” said Tennyson. “I was hooked after my first jump and knew that was the career path for me within the Army.” Tennyson decided to pursue the Golden Knight’s rigorous assessment and selection
process, which is held just once a year each September at Fort Bragg. Active-duty enlisted members from any of the services may apply. Applicants must have a
