On October 27, 1986, the Combat Control community suffered the tragic loss of Technical Sergeant Jerome E. "Jerry" Bennett during a high-altitude training jump. As a combat controller assigned to Detachment 4, NAFCOS (Numbered Air Force Combat Operations Staff) and the 24th Special Tactics Squadron (where he was a "plank holder"), Bennett was conducting a high-altitude freefall jump alongside the Army's Delta Force when he encountered a fatal parachute malfunction.

During the jump, Bennett experienced difficulties with his main canopy and struggled to cut it away. Although he eventually managed to deploy his reserve parachute at approximately 900 feet, he was unable to release the stirring lines on his MT-1S reserve. Landing in rough terrain on the downward slope of a hill under a partially deflated canopy, Bennett succumbed to his injuries shortly after impact, becoming the detachment's first fatality in its history.

Before his untimely death, Bennett had distinguished himself as both a warrior and an athlete. In 1977, he achieved the remarkable accomplishment of winning the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) 165-pound class boxing championship, demonstrating his exceptional athletic prowess and competitive spirit.

His legacy lives on through the TSgt Jerome E. Bennett Award, presented at Combat Control School graduations. This prestigious honor, sponsored by the Combat Control Association, is awarded to the student who best exemplifies Bennett's outstanding qualities. Prior to each graduation, students select a peer who demonstrates the characteristics that made Bennett exceptional: being a consummate team player, consistently putting others before himself, maintaining team cohesion, and pursuing mission success with unwavering determination.

Manuel L. "Bud" Gonzalez, a fellow Combat Controller and Desert One veteran, offered a touching tribute to his former teammate: "Good guy, quiet guy, hardworking, steady as a rock.... You ask him to do something and it was done, period, end of statement.... It just got done, and he was pretty much cheerful about doing it."

Jerry Bennett's dedication to his team, his quiet professionalism, and his ultimate sacrifice in service to his country continue to inspire new generations of Combat Controllers. His story serves as a powerful reminder of both the risks inherent in preparing for special operations missions and the exceptional character of those who volunteer to serve in these elite units.