It's been 40 years since William O'Neill, 62, of Green Township parachuted out of a military aircraft for the last of his 30 Army jumps. But he still speaks of it as a thrill unlike any other.

        That's what brings this veteran and other members of the Cincinnati chapter of the 82nd Airborne Division Association together one Tuesday a month.

        “We are a fraternity of paratroopers who want to keep the 82nd Airborne mystique alive here in Cincinnati,” said Mr. O'Neill. He organized the chapter, which received its charter in May. The organization has about 35 members, including paratroopers of all ages and all types of service. There are two World War II paratroopers as well as veterans of Vietnam, the Grenada invasion and the Gulf War. There are also veterans who served in peacetime, reservists, and National Guardsmen.

        “There's definitely an esprit de corps with the 82nd. It's a different standard ... the uniform, the boots, the berets,” said member Lance Atkins, 27, a former paratrooper who is now a full-time student at the University of Cincinnati. Although he's been a civilian for almost a year, Mr. Atkins still has a sense of paratrooper pride, down to the 82nd Airborne Division bumper sticker on his car.

        “Anywhere I go, it's an instant brotherhood,” he said.

        This sense of camaraderie gave Mr. O'Neill the idea for the chapter. An Army pal in New Jersey urged him to get involved — the national association has about 26,000 members — but the closest chapter was in Dayton. There was a chapter in Cincinnati until around 1966, he said, but it disbanded.

        They meet to talk about past and current military events, hold picnics and participate in Veterans Day and other parades. But for newly introduced members, there's always that question: “How many jumps did you make?”

        So far, Indiana National Guardsman Michael Vogt, 38, of Lawrenceburg, has everyone in the chapter beat. The GE Aircraft Engines materials technician estimates he's had more than 150 jumps in his 20 years of military service — active duty, the reserves and as a Guardsman.

       Anyone interested in sharing their own lofty experiences can contact Mr. O'Neill at 513-922-8649 for membership information.

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