Leap Frogs Perform Multiple Shows for Nashville Navy Week

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Fletcher Gibson, U.S. Navy Parachute Team Public Affairs

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (NNS) -- The U.S. Navy Parachute Demonstration Team, the Leap Frogs, performed jumps at four different locations May 11-12 in support of the city's Navy Week celebration.

The team performed jumps at both Lavergne and Stratford High Schools, as well as a game-opening jump at Greer Stadium for the Nashville Sounds baseball team May 11. They performed two passes at The Great Tennessee Air Show in Smyrna, Tenn., May 12. Rainy weather May 13 prevented the Leap Frogs from performing on the second day of the air show.

Team members met and interacted with a wide-range of fans and audience members. At Stratford, the Leap Frogs enjoyed some one-on-one time with members of the local Sea Cadet unit, while the performance at Lavergne introduced them to a potential future member of the SEAL community.

"I've never met an active duty SEAL," said Ethan Vicars, a student at Middle Tennessee State University who had just been accepted into the SEAL training program. "They gave me a lot of good advice from their experiences."

"Just to be surrounded by men and women who have done something positive with their lives is important in our community and to our students," said Letoni Murry, the assistant principal at Lavergne High School.

Spectator Faye Lash was impressed with the team's opening jump during the national anthem.

"I've been coming to air shows since I was six years old, and I've never seen anything as awe-inspiring as that. To see an American flag fall out of the sky and be brought down by a Sailor...this is what it does," she said indicating her tears.

Deputy Chief, Medical Operations and Future Plans Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Rear Adm. Donald Gintzig, was also impressed.

"It's great to see them perform and really help inspire the next generation because I can guarantee you there were young men and women here looking up and saying 'I want to be doing that some day,'" Gintzig said.

The Leap Frogs are scheduled to perform May 15-16 at the Navy Week in Spokane, Wash.

The Leap Frogs are based in San Diego and perform aerial parachute demonstrations in support of Naval Special Warfare and Navy recruiting.

For more information about the Leap Frogs, visit www.leapfrogs.navy.mil.