Sean Lockhead of Langhorne, Pennsylvania, recalls clear instructions from his late wife, Karen Keegan Lockhead ’91, before she died from cancer in 2003. “Make sure you live. If there’s any doubt or question whether you should do something, do it.”

Lockhead has taken that directive to heart. He started Lockhead Consulting Group in 2018 after earning his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering from Wilkes and working in corporate for more than 25 years. His work has taken him to 48 of the 50 states and six of the seven continents — he’s yet to see Antarctica. “I’ve had my chance to travel all over the world and see some amazing things,” says Lockhead.

On one work trip, a free day in Normandy, France, and an interest in World War II propelled Lockhead’s mission to support veterans and pushed him to the edge — of a plane, with a parachute, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day in June 2024.

Lockhead’s multiple visits to Normandy and many other WWII sites including the Netherlands, Bastogne (Belgium), Manila (Philippines), Australia, Thailand and Dunkirk (France), gave him the opportunity to hear first-hand accounts from WWII veterans.

“When you start talking to the veterans, that’s when it starts to really kick in,” says Lockhead.

He thought about young men who may have lied about their age to fight for their country. Some volunteered for the new airborne program, jumping behind enemy lines to send an extra $50 a month back home.

Lockhead couldn’t imagine what it was like to be in their shoes, but wanted to dive in. He started at Rhode Island’s World War II Foundation, which documents and preserves WWII history and stories. Lockhead later enrolled in a civilian airborne training program to learn to jump using methods similar to those taught in the 1940s. While learning how to static line parachute jump from 1,500 feet, he found camaraderie among his classmates, many of whom were former military. Lockhead also discovered a love for jumping despite his fear of heights.

“The rush of all this noise, the noise of the engines, the noise of the other people in the plane, the commands and the snapping of the lines when you exit and look around, it’s an amazing feeling,” says Lockhead. “When your chute opens, it’s surprisingly quiet. You’re just coming down at a nice, leisurely pace. There’s a certain peacefulness that takes away the fear.”

Lockhead “earned his wings.” Six months later, his significant other, Diana Breen, whose father was a WWII veteran, trained to jump as well. “I was privileged to jump with her on her fifth and final qualifying jump,” says Lockhead.

From there, a new team known as the All Airborne Battalion (AAB) was born. The group’s president, Darren Cinatl, is former military, was an executive officer and company commander at the U.S. Army Airborne School and has a deep understanding of WWII history and veterans’ needs. Lockhead agreed to serve as director of veteran affairs. “I’m still a member of other teams, but this one struck a nerve with me,” says Lockhead. “There was so much focus on the veterans.”

Lockhead also connected with some actors from HBO’s Band of Brothers, including Alex Sabga-Brady. Sabga-Brady played Frank Mellett, who was killed in action. With the anniversary of D-Day approaching, the cast wanted to honor the veterans they portrayed with a jump into Normandy. Since they hadn’t done their own jumps for the show, they needed to prepare. Lockhead and Sabga-Brady joined forces with AAB to hold training at Camp Toccoa, Georgia, where the four parachute regiments, including the 506th, originally trained 82 years earlier.

The group held two jumps over Normandy in June 2024. Sagba-Brady and his band also performed for 10,000 people at Sainte-Mère-Église, the center of the commemorative festivities in Normandy. “Alex and a number of his actor buddies are very talented musicians,” says Lockhead.

The entire process is featured in the documentary Band of Brothers: Legacy, set to premier this summer. Future plans include an 82nd anniversary jump into Normandy in June 2026.

The team jumps at any chance to support veterans and those who still serve while inspiring future generations to do the same. AAB features educational outreach, PTSD intervention initiatives for all veterans and support programs for first responders and others.

“We have opportunities to educate as well as commemorate,” says Lockhead. “We want the next generations to understand. We want the stories to continue and the memories to last. We want to continue to ‘Live the Legacy.’”