3 days ago
Elite U.S. Army parachuting team performs at Kirtland AFB for 2025 Air Fiesta
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Thousands of visitors crowded Kirtland Air Force Base Saturday to get a glimpse of one of the city's biggest aerial shows- Kirtland's 2025 Air Fiesta. It's been several years since the base has hosted the event, and guests were eager to see its comeback. 'For us on the base, it means a lot for the community of Albuquerque to participate and come out and kind of see all these types of demonstrations,' said Ruben Garibay, Public Affairs Specialist for Kirtland Public Affairs Office.
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Lots of practice and preparation went into this year's event, but there is one event that always draws a crowd- the U.S. Army's Golden Knights. 'What made me want to be a demonstrator is I went on a couple of shows, and just seeing the excitement they bring to the crowd, and just how much they inspire people,' said Shelby Guarnieri, a demonstrator for the Golden Knights.
The Golden Knights are an elite parachute team and were one of many aerial teams to show off their skills this weekend. 'It's exhilarating and nerve-wracking all at the same time,' Guarnieri said. 'You are just constantly running through the maneuver in your head.'
Shelby said she's served in the military for 13 years and spent time working in communications. However, after seeing what the Golden Knight could do, she decided to become a demonstrator. 'I wanted to do something in my army career that pushed me to do more than my comfort zone, and this definitely did that for me,' Guarnieri added.
The team warmed up by running mock drills on the ground before suiting up and making the dive. And though this was her first year being a demonstrator, she's looking future jumps.'I try to get better every time,' Guarnieri said. 'It's awesome to be out here and represent the team in New Mexico.'
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