Friday, October 05, 2007

Leap Frogs Do Texas Football Their Way!

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Josh Treadwell, Navy Office of Community Outreach Public Affairs
A member of the U.S. Navy Parachute Demonstration Team, the Leap Frogs, jumps into the Cotton Bowl as part of Dallas Navy Week. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Josh Treadwell)

The U.S. Navy Parachute Team, the Leap Frogs, jumped into Plano High School’s Clark Stadium, Sept. 28, to deliver the game football and game coin, marking the beginning of Dallas Navy Week.

The sold-out crowd for the annual rivalry between Plano High School and Allen High School greeted the Leap Frogs as they floated into the stadium with raucous cheers.

That evening, the Leap Frogs jumped into to the Cotton Bowl for the annual State Fair Classic between, Prairie View A&M and Grambling State, performing their precision freefall and parachute jumps in support of Navy-wide retention, recruiting and community relations programs.

"We travel around the [United States] to help keep the public aware of the Navy," said Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Robert Fienberg. "Our main focus is to show public awareness and aid in the recruitment of Navy Special Warfare."

The performance was sponsored by Navy Recruiting District Dallas and the Navy Office of Community Outreach to generate awareness of Special Warfare Operations and identify those who may want to be a SEAL or other special warfare operator.

The U.S. Navy Parachute Team is a 15-man team comprised entirely of U.S. Navy SEAL and Special Warfare Combatant Craft Crewman (SWCC) personnel. Each member comes to the team for a three-year tour from one of the two Naval Special Warfare groups located on the East and West coasts. Upon completion of the tour, members return to operational units.

This performance was held in conjunction with Dallas Navy Week, Sept. 28-Oct. 7. Dallas Navy Week is planned and coordinated by Navy Recruiting District Dallas and Navy Office of Community Outreach to increase Navy awareness and strengthen the rich and diverse relationship between the Dallas community and the Navy. During Navy Week, Sailors will reach out to the local community visiting veterans, children’s hospitals, local schools and conducting various community service projects.

Dallas Navy Week is one of 26 Navy Weeks planned across America in 2007. Navy weeks are designed to show Americans the investment they have made in their Navy and provide heartland communities opportunities to meet Sailors first hand, and learn about the latest capabilities and opportunities in the U.S. Navy.