Navy's Leap Frogs to jump today at race honoring SEAL

Posted to: Military Virginia Beach
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By Meredith Kruse
The Virginian-Pilot
© July 16, 2011

VIRGINIA BEACH

The Navy's parachute demonstration team, the Leap Frogs, is scheduled to perform this morning at the Oceanfront at a race honoring Norfolk SEAL Allen Stone.

The jump is set for 7:30 a.m. at Neptune's Park on 31st Street. The race, known as the Allen Stone Braveheart Run-Swim-Run, is a 1K beach run, 1K swim and 5K run on the Boardwalk.

Stone won his age division in 1999, the race's debut year, and died in a training accident shortly after. Since then, the race was renamed and has been held in his honor, with proceeds benefitting the Navy SEAL Foundation and the Virginia Beach Volunteer Rescue Squad.

The Leap Frogs draw their members from the ranks of Navy SEALs and special warfare combatant crewmen.

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Common Sense Guy

Submitted by pungodays on Sat, 07/16/2011 at 9:12 pm.

I think "Leap Frogs" is cute and fitting seeing as the jumpers are not all SEALs.

And yes, yes it does sound like a kid's game. Kind of like having colored smoke flowing from your shoes when you jump out of an airplane. All for show. "Blue Angels" that's cute too. Pretty, pretty blue & yellow doesn't camouflage in any terrain. Leave the flashy colors to those who like to stand out. The camouflage is left for the big boys to play in.

.

Submitted by Variance on Sat, 07/16/2011 at 10:18 am.

@commonsenseguy: SEALs are also referred to as Frogmen. The name they selected is quite fitting.

so i took an impromptu poll

Submitted by commonsenseguy on Sat, 07/16/2011 at 4:11 pm.

I walked to the end of my driveway at the beach and, to be as random as possible, asked the first 10 people who walked past what they thought of the name. Three were women and seven men. Two were Latin Americans, 2 African Americans and 6 Caucasians. Six of them said they knew that Frogman was a SEAL nickname. Responses from all 10 were along the lines of "silly", "childish", "bush league", "little league", "sounds kinda weak", etc. There were no positive responses to the name. Without prompting 100% of them said they thought the team could have picked a better name. Just the facts.

correction

Submitted by commonsenseguy on Sat, 07/16/2011 at 7:28 pm.

I meant to say Latino Americans.

yeah i've lived here 50 years, too

Submitted by commonsenseguy on Sat, 07/16/2011 at 11:19 am.

That doesn't make the name sound any less like a little league team.

Oops....

Submitted by Va. Beach Guy on Sat, 07/16/2011 at 10:36 am.

We're showing our age! (or maybe our knowledge of History?)

You are so right! Navy Seals were "Frogmen" LONG before they were Navy Seals!

leap frogs?

Submitted by commonsenseguy on Fri, 07/15/2011 at 7:15 pm.

First I would like to say that I am proud to be American and have the utmost respect and thanks for not only those currently serving buat also all of those who have served and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for me and all of you.

That being said, is there no better name they could come up with? We have the Blue Angels, the Golden Knights. Leap Frogs sounds like an elementary school or recreation league team mascot. There is nothing impressive about it; it is laughable, in fact. Still love you, though.