Appearing to hover in midair , this is the astonishing moment a U.S. Special Forces Paratrooper was snapped throwing a salute to his comrades while jumping backwards out of a plane over Germany . Despite being nearly 17,000ft in the air , the soldier , from the 1st Battalion , 10th Special Forces Group , appears completely unfazed as he leaves the C-130 Hercules aircraft . The stunning photograph was captured during a training mission over a U.S. Special Forces Parachute Jump drop zone on February 24 . The 10th Special Forces group was founded in 1952 at Fort Bragg , North Carolina , but was split in 1953 with one half being sent to Germany , while the other half folded into the 77th Special Forces Group . The unit regularly takes part in training expercises with NATO allies in Europe , and has served in the Gulf wars , carried out humanitarian missions , and helped to train Middle Eastern forces . This is the astonishing moment a U.S. Special Forces solider appears to float in midair while saluting his colleagues while taking part in a training mission over Germany last month .
Solider from 1st Battalion , 10th Special Forces Group , taking part in a training mission when photograph was taken . Shows him appearing to float in midair and throwing a salute to his colleagues while falling backwards from plane .