FORT BENNING, Ga., (April 8, 2015) -- The 1st Battalion (Airborne), 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment hosted the Atlanta chapter of the 82nd Airborne Division Association for the 38th annual Airborne Awards Festival Memorial Ceremony April 2 at Eubanks Field.

"As I look across the field and I look into the stands, I see the past paratroopers, I see the present paratroopers and on a field to your left about a quarter mile is the future paratrooper, so we're all represented here (on Eubanks Field)," said Lt. Col. Korey Brown, commanding officer, 1st Bn. (Airborne) 507th PIR. "This regiment, this battalion, just exudes history and we're glad to be part of it."

Since 1940, Airborne troopers in all services have served throughout the world during World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Grenada, Panama, Persian Gulf, Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq and countless other contingency operations around the globe.

The ceremony and reunion marked the 75th anniversary of Airborne forces in the U.S. military.

The theme at this year's reunion was the celebration of the 65th Anniversary of the Korean War.

"These paratroopers represented the best fighting force of their generation," Brown said. "These Soldiers, like all paratroopers who preceded them and those that followed in their footsteps, knew the hazards of Airborne operations and the rigorous command of paratroops, and yet they volunteered anyway. And they still do."

Taking those in attendance through a familiar adrenaline rush, they watched a demonstration of the complete U.S. Army Basic Airborne Course to include ground, tower and jump weeks, narrated by Staff Sgt. Taylor Godbey, 1st Bn. (Airborne), 507th PIR.

Changes highlighted since the inception of Airborne School included the switch to the T-11 parachute in January this year, which requires a 6,000 count before the chute opens.

"A paratrooper descends at a rate of 14-18 feet per second when jumping with a T-11 parachute. He may carry up to 100 pounds of combat equipment on his body," Godbey said during the demonstration.

Speaking to experienced, retired Airborne Soldiers, Godbey said the switch to the 6,000 count from the 4,000 count messes up all of the Airborne cadences and the crowd laughed. Godbey also said the T-11 is about 30 percent larger than the T-10 model was.

Donald G, Jutz, a member of the 82nd Airborne Division Association and resident of Panama City Beach, Florida, enlisted in the Army as an Airborne volunteer in 1948 when he was 18 years old, he said. He was trained on a T-7 parachute with a 3,000 count. He was introduced later to the T-10 parachute during his service. He said the reunion was the first time he had seen the use of the T-11.

Jutz said Soldiers packed their own parachutes when he was in Airborne School and that Soldiers carry a lot more equipment today.

He also said the "black hats," who trained him, weren't as "nice" as they are today.

"The black hats then ... they questioned your ancestry, and a lot of other things." Jutz said.

He finished his Airborne career with 109 parachute jumps, and in his military jumps only used three reserves - which he said goes with the program.

Following the demonstration, members proceeded to the Airborne Walk and conducted the Airborne 5,000.

The Airborne Walk commemorates the contribution of America's Airborne forces to the nation's defense.

All construction funds for the Walk were received from donations made to the Airborne Historical Society formed by members of all past and present Airborne units. The Walk is in the shape of the parachutist badge, in which the wings are outlined by 28 bronze plaques mounted on granite markers dedicated to past and present Airborne, Ranger and Special Forces units. In the center lays an isolated marker representing the efforts of America's first parachute unit.

"It's a proud tradition, it's a great fraternity ... you ain't gonna find many other guys like these guys here, I'll tell ya," Jutz said.