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Paratroopers have safe landing at home, thanks to veteran’s group

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – When soldiers come home there are a number of places they can go for support, but sometimes those places are overlooked because they aren’t known.

And that is exactly what’s happening to one local group dedicated entirely to Paratroopers.

There is a group of veterans who served with the 82nd Airborne Division, a part of the army that specializes in parachuting.

“Combat jumps are typically done at night at about 800 feet, but personally I’ve jumped at about 1,500 feet is my highest military jump.” Veteran Gary Covey said.

Needless to say their skills are unique. So unique, in fact, that they have their own veteran chapter.

“It’s a brethren. It’s a special niche. It’s one thing that we all have in common as a paratroopers. We’ve all experienced jumping out of an airplane, a military aircraft,” Justin Holmes said.

Holmes is one of the youngest members of Indiana’s 82nd Airborne Division Association, a chapter that is shrinking.

“Some of the younger paratroopers that are returning home from the war on terror, they’re coming back in a different state of mind. They have life that they have to deal with rather making becoming a member of a fraternal organization a priority to them,” Holmes said.

And because of that lack membership the 82nd Airborne Division Association couldn’t take part in the veterans day parade. It was the first time in 40 years that they weren’t represented.

“We had a couple people volunteer, but not enough,” George Hughes said.

Hughes is the association’s Vice Chairman. He reached out to 24-Hour News 8 to get the word out. In his email he wrote “Here locally we are experiencing a crisis with the number of members in our chapter.”

“We have members right now that are being treated for cancer, a lot of our members are Korean War veterans and Vietnam war veterans.” Hughes said.

For Justin Holmes the association has been a safe haven, and he said it could be the same for others.

“It’s just that common brotherhood” Holmes said.

If you are veteran paratrooper and would like to be a part of the association, click here.

It only costs $25 a year and the benefits they say are exponential.