Sir:
I understand the need for a thorough, unsugar-coated After Action Report. Having said that I have zero negative comments. In my nearly twenty years in the defense industry I have had the opportunity to interact with many companies, some good and some not so good. Complete Parachute Solutions is by far one of the most professionally composed and conducted organizations I have had the pleasure of working with. The company you all have built is one you can be very proud of.
Some specifics:
Staff: The CPS staff is one of the best I have seen. They are professional and highly competent. There is an immense amount of talent and experience present within your company. But there is something else I see at Complete Parachute Solutions and it is as important as conduct and skill – esprit de corps. I meet a lot of people in the industry that are simply collecting a paycheck. These folks are not truly vested in the company’s success. They simply perform a function. At Complete Parachute Solutions, you have a team, a group of people oriented toward a common goal. It’s evident in the way everyone from parachute riggers, military freefall instructors, support staff, and leadership show up at three in the morning with a great attitude and immediately pull together to accomplish the day’s tasks. It shows in the smiles and jokes and friendly attitudes. I really can’t stress enough how impressive that is.
Equipment: Top notch. Yes, Complete Parachute Solutions makes its own parachutes and they are the finest, however, everything about the organizations equipment says this is a professional outfit. Parachute equipment is clean and in good order. The attention to detail of the parachute riggers to their rigs, and the concern they display about how the parachute openings felt breeds confidence in their work. The conversations about freefall helmets and air to air communication radios shows that leadership is continually looking to adding to the tools available to its military freefall instructors. Your jump aircraft are outstanding and when one does go down for an unplanned maintenance issue there is no break in training because the company rapidly sources another airframe to fill the gap.
Facilities: Far and away the most professional military freefall facility I have seen. The Complete Parachute Solutions Tactical Training Facility in Coolidge, Arizona is on par with any military free fall /government facility and light years ahead of any other civilian owned drop zone. Eloy, Perris and others are all fine companies but they are civilian drop zones set up to cater primarily to civilian skydivers and it shows. Like Dillon, the Complete Parachute Solutions customer is the Government. They expect a certain level of organization and discipline in the companies they choose to deal with. As the time approaches when the services will become more selective in deciding who they will spend their training dollars with that distinction will be more and more important.
Leadership: Outstanding. In the time I spent with you all I have seen a leadership group that really has its act together. First and, on my list, foremost you treat your people right. I was really impressed by the emphasis you place on giving your people opportunities to improve their skills and advance in their careers. That is awesome. You invest in your troops and they will invest themselves right back into you. That was seriously fantastic to see. I mentioned this before but seeing the General Manager Mike Ortiz pass up jumping to pitch in and help pack parachutes was really cool. People like working for and with people they respect and everything I have seen in your organization really promotes that concept.
Once again, let me express my gratitude to you and your staff for the kindness you have shown to me and mine. I look forward to a long relationship between our two companies.
Sincerely,
Chris
Chris Dillon
Dillon Aero, Inc.
www.dillonaero.com