Duke is on his way to earning an honorary skydiving license, but his owner says the pup will never jump alone

It’s a bird, it’s a plane — it’s Duke, the skydiving dog!

The 75-lb. dog, who’s already made four jumps along with his owner, Desoto County Sheriff’s Deputy and skydiving instructor Alex Coker, recently became the first dog to ever skydive at West Tennessee Skydiving, reported WREG.

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The location is known for being the only spot in the United States where people can perform a HALO jump (which stands for “high altitude low open”). During a HALO jump, skydivers open their parachutes once they reach a low altitude, after free-falling for a while.

“It’s nothing better than having a battle buddy that’s with you everywhere you go,” Coker told WREG.

To ensure his safety during each jump, Duke gets strapped to Coker’s chest, and wears a protective mask around his eyes and muzzle.

Image zoom Alex Coker and Duke Mike Lee

Image zoom Alex Coker and Duke Hunter Poe

But even though Duke is only 21 jumps away from being able to earn his own honorary skydiving license, Coker tells PEOPLE he “loves him too much to let him do it alone.”

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Image zoom Alex Coker and Duke Sandra Zenovyev

Image zoom Alex Coker and Duke Sandra Zenovyev

Although military dogs have been known to make jumps with their trainers, Coker, who served in the U.S. Army for a decade, told WREG that Duke is a little larger than most canines who make the leap.