United States Parachute Association > Experienced Skydivers

Service Awards

USPA recognizes its members for contributions to the sport of skydiving and to USPA.

USPA Lifetime Achievement Award The Lifetime Achievement Award is awarded to an expert active or retired sport parachute jumper in recognition of outstanding sportsmanship, skill, or personal contribution to the sport of parachuting and the United States Parachute Association, its goals and purposes.

USPA Gold Medal for Meritorious Service Award The USPA Gold Medal for Meritorious Service Award is to honor outstanding USPA members who, by their efforts over a period of years, have made significant contributions to the skydiving community.

USPA Regional Achievement Award The Regional Achievement Award is to honor an outstanding member of a USPA Region who, by their efforts over a period of time or one outstanding act, has made a significant contribution to that region’s skydiving community.

USPA Chesley H. Judy Safety Award The USPA Chesley H. Judy Safety Award is to recognize any current USPA member who through example, deed, training, or innovation, had promoted safe skydiving in a substantive way. Nominations for this award open early Spring every year, and typically presentations are made at Safety Day events.

View Nomination and Selection Procedures.

Performance Awards

USPA recognizes achievements in canopy formations of the recipient's progression towards higher levels of canopy control, maneuverability, and proficiency. In receiving and exhibiting these international awards, the recipient agrees to exercise good judgement and wisdom in promoting safe canopy relative work among his or her peers, among those less experienced than himself or herself, and toward observers of the sport. The basic requirements for the award are explained on the application found in the member's profile under My Awards & Records.

USPA 4-Stack
The 4-Stack Award is to recognize any current USPA or another FAI Aero Club member who builds a canopy formation of four or more canopies.

Canopy Crest Recipient 8-Stack Award (Day/Night)
The Canopy Crest Recipient 8-Stack Award (Day/Night) is to recognize any current USPA or another FAI Aero Club member who builds a canopy formation of eight or more canopies.

Canopy Crest Solo Award (Day/Night)
The Canopy Crest Solo Award (Day/Night) is to recognize any current USPA or another FAI Aero Club member for entering eighth or later in a complete eight-canopy or larger formation.

Tenure Awards

USPA recognizes Regular and Lifetime members for years of paid memberships and issues certificates of tenure. Membership tenure certificates are issued to acknowledge support of skydiving through membership in USPA for significant periods of time. Tenure certificates can be issued when a full ten years of membership has been accumulated and at each five years thereafter. Lapses in membership are subtracted from the total time of membership. Once the information is confirmed, a certificate is mailed to the recipient.

Achievement Awards

USPA also recognizes its members for skydiving skill and milestones in skydiving experience. The basic requirements for the award are explained on the application found in the member's profile under My Awards & Records.

USPA Wings Award
The Wings Award is to recognize any current USPA member with freefall skydives in 1,000 jump increments.

USPA Badge Award
The Badge Award is to recognize any current USPA member with freefall time in 12-hour increments.

Other Skydiving Awards

National Aeronautic Association
Fédération Aéronautique Internationale

Nominations for all non-USPA awards must be received at USPA Headquarters at least 10 business days prior to the summer USPA Board of Directors meeting.

8-1.7: The FAI Gold Parachuting Medal Award Recipients

1974 Steven Snyder
1984 Domina Jalbert
1992 William Booth
2004 Brenda Reid
2017 B.J. Worth

8-1.8: The Leonardo da Vinci Diploma Award Recipients

1974 Richard Fortenberry
1983 Jerry Bird
1989 Cheryl Stearns
2006 Scott Rhodes
2014 Marylou Laughlin
2020 Larry K. Bagley
2022 Brian Pangburn

8-1.9: The Faust Vrancic Medal Award Recipients

2007 Larry Hill & Ted Wagner

8-1.10: McDonald Distinguished Statesman and Stateswoman of Aviation Award Recipients

1995 Joseph W. Kittinger Jr.
2011 Len "Lenny" Potts
2022 Cheryl Stearns

The basic requirements for these awards are explained on the applications found in the member's profile under My Awards & Records.

Loading...