I jumped out of a plane

By Alan Cooper
Publisher, WhosOnTheMove.com

After a recent interview taping for an upcoming edition of our Leadership Series, Kevin Shwedo, the Executive Director of the SC Department of Motor Vehicles, asked me a question: “So, do you want to jump out of a plane?”

My immediate reaction was ‘no’, but I hedged and said that I would get back to him. He said I had 24 hours to decide or he would give up my spot to someone else.

As I weighed my decision over, I mulled over three key factors:

1) my powerful fear of heights – I have video evidence of me crawling out on my hands and knees to the observation deck at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon

2) a regret that I had from first year university when I had the opportunity to skydive and… bailed at the last moment

3) I like birds and I have a superpower, in my dreams, that I can fly.

I said, ‘yes’.

As the date approached, the list of other people who had said ‘yes’ to Kevin Shwedo was sent out:

• Billy Anderson – Director of Sport Performance at USC
• Matthew Ferguson – SC Department of Education, Chief Academic Officer
• Alex Fournil – Principal, Vista Insurance Group
• Doug Gilliam — Chair Military Caucus, South Carolina House of Representatives
• Jeffrey Gossett – SC Clerk of the Senate
• John Hazard – Counsel, Office of SC Senate President Pro Tempore
• Stacy Lanham – SC State Human Resources, Statewide Recruiting Director – State PaYS POC
• Joel Samuels – Dean, University of South Carolina – College of Arts and Sciences
• Beverly Smith – USC Softball Head Coach
• Ellen Weaver – State Superintendent of Education

The more research I did, the more people that I talked to, the more that I was reassured that I was not just in good hands, but great hands. The jump was executed by the Golden Knights, the official U.S. Army parachute team. Headquartered at Fort Liberty (formerly Fort Bragg), NC, the Golden Knights are all expert parachutists and professional U.S. Army soldiers.

I would like to thank Kevin Shwedo and the U.S. Army for making this happen. As a Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army, Kevin is responsible for building partnerships and enhancing existing relationships between the U.S. Army and the communities surrounding Army posts like Fort Jackson. Mission accomplished, sir! We all have an even deeper appreciation for the courage and talent of the young men and women who sign up to serve the country.

Yesterday was a day I’ll never forget. I jumped out of a plane.

Click on the photos below for a better look.