Forever in the Wind

Ten years after horror struck a U.S. military helicopter in Afghanistan, a former Navy SEAL heads to the Himalayas to launch the most high-minded skydiving tribute ever to fallen heroes.

- By Jack Haworth. Photography by Elia Saikaly

On the night of Aug. 6, 2011, a U.S. Army Chinook helicopter-call sign Extortion 17 (EX17)-was carrying 38 people as it descended into Afghanistan's Tangi Valley in support of a Special Operations mission. The occupants included 31 American service members with 17 U.S. Navy SEALS among them. As Extortion 17 neared its drop zone under the cover of darkness, the helicopter was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade-followed by a crash, and no survivors.

Extortion 17 was the largest loss of U.S. military lives in a single incident in Afghanistan.

Ten years later, retired U.S. Navy SEAL Mike Sarraille is setting out to honor the legacy of those 31 American service members lost on Extortion 17. His mission begins by seeking out an appropriate spot to pay such tribute. When an opportunity arises to go skydiving in the Everest region-leaping above the world's tallest mountains in the hub of the Himalayas-he knows this is it.

I'm not a world-class skydiver, I'm not trying to fool anyone, says Sarraille, a former Recon Marine, Talent War Group CEO and author of The Talent War. “This is a challenge for me to grow-doing something I know those guys aboard EX17 would've loved.”

During his 20-year career in the Special Ops community and now as a business leader, Sarraille has repeatedly experienced firsthand what it takes-both mentally and physically-to overcome extraordinary challenges. There will be no shortage of those when jumping into the most extreme skydiving environment on Earth. Lack of oxygen. Totally unpredictable weather. Confined landing zones. Towering Himalayan peaks. Relentlessly rugged terrain. Despite these giant and omnipresent risks, Sarraille knows that the rewards of rising to such challenges will, once again, pay dividends.