Jump for Valor’s First Sponsored Veteran Completes AFF

The Crew at The Skydiving Company Congratulating Duane Mcghghy

Jump for Valor is excited to share that Duane Mcghghy, the organization’s first AFF sponsored veteran,  has successfully completed AFF and is now an A-licensed jumper. 

Mcghghy worked on his skills in AFF with Joe Silvia & Tasha Heggem of The Skydiving Company, based in Madisonville, Texas. Heggem has been coaching at The Skydiving Center since the DZ first opened, and she’s passionate about teaching. “I knew when I was getting my license that I wanted to become an AFF instructor,” she said. 

“He’s born to skydive,” was one of the first things Heggam shared with us about her time coaching Mcghghy. She worked closely with Mcghghy through AFF, and had glowing things to say about him. “He’s one of the best students I’ve ever had,” she said excitedly. “He’s super aware and great at paying attention at altitude. He’s also doing wonderfully on the ground. I gave him a lot of reading material and he’s always on it. He’s reading all of the material I give him and he’s focused and fantastic,” she said.  

When asked about working with Mcghghy, Heggam shared that this is her first experience working with an amputee, but his disability never held Mcghghy back. “The leg he was concerned about is already licensed!” she mused, recounting how Mcghghy’s prosthetic helped with his stability during freefall. “His other leg is the one we have to fix and needs work,” she said with a laugh. 

After experiencing the dream of flight after his first two tandems, Mcghghy is thrilled to now be an official licensed skydiver. “That first time I jumped on my own and had to pilot the canopy, I was a bit nervous but super excited,” he recounted. 

Recent scholarship on veterans’ reintegration suggests peer-to-peer contact, social belonging, physical activity, and outdoor activities combine to reduce adjustment disorders prevalent in those with wartime service. Veterans who take part in outdoor activities and extreme sports saw improvement in their mental stability and received an inoculation against isolation, disconnectedness, and depression. Skydiving combines the close community, opportunity to overcome challenges, social reward, and thrilling activity that supports positive perspectives.

Mcghghy was grateful to have had the opportunity to work with the incredible staff at The Skydiving Company. “There’s not one person there that’s not amazing,” he said. “Everyone there was always willing to answer questions and help me with anything. They were incredible.” 

Mcghghy has already jumped twice since completing his A license, and is looking forward to bringing his wife and kids out to the DZ so they can watch him in action. His next goal is to get through his B license so he can jump out of a helicopter.

 Mcghghy is incredibly grateful for this entire experience, saying “I just want to add a huge and grateful thank you to the Jump for Valor community for taking me in and allowing me the opportunity to be a part of this fantastic organization and new amazing sport. I am absolutely in love with this new adventure I’m on and I look forward to meeting everyone that’s had a hand in making this once dream a reality.”