Aug. 19--The Army parachutist who died following a jump at the Chicago Air Water Show was posthumously promoted to the rank of master sergeant, the Army announced Wednesday.
Corey Hood, 32, a member of the Army's Golden Knights parachute team, died Sunday from injuries he suffered the day before during a jump over the Lake Michigan shore.
The Army also announced that a memorial service for Hood will be held Aug. 26 at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, where the Golden Knights are based. Other funeral arrangements were not yet public. Hood had told family members he wanted to be buried in his hometown of West Chester, Ohio, near Cincinnati.
Hood was on the promotion list for master sergeant at the time of his death and was selected "for his demonstrated leadership abilities and tactical and technical expertise," Lt. Col. Matthew Weinrich said in a video statement. Weinrich is commander of the Golden Knights.
"Corey loved being a Golden Knight. He loved connecting the American people with their Army. He loved meeting with the people on the ground and sharing his soldier story. Corey's story was extraordinary because he was an extraordinary soldier," Weinrich said.
The Golden Knights are in safety stand down in order to review procedures and processes within the unit, conduct team-focused training, participate in the accident investigation and pursue grief counseling as needed, the Army announced. The team is focused on supporting the Hood family, Weinrich said.
"While we will not conduct demonstrations through the upcoming weekend, we will get back to our mission representing the Army as soon as possible ... as Corey would want us to," Weinrich said.
The Army is continuing to investigate the incident. A member of the Navy Leap Frogs jump team was injured during what the military said was a midair collision during a maneuver.
Hood had been a demonstration parachutist since October. He previously was one of the team's ground safety officers and had been with the Golden Knights for two years, the Army said.
Hood, described by family and friends as a passionate, dedicated patriot, served five deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, earning two Bronze Stars and two Meritorious Service Medals, among other honors.
"He had the greatest responsibility of any soldier -- leading fellow soldiers in combat," Weinrich said. "He accomplished his challenging missions with expertise, skill and dedication to duty."
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Twitter @pmocwriter
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