Senior recruiter 302 AW/310 SW HOMETOWN - 302nd Airlift Wing

NEWS
4
By Capt. Corinna Jones
302nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
The 302nd Airlift Wing saddled
up and rode away from the 2011
Air Mobility Command Rodeo
with the “Best Aeromedical C-17
Configuration Team,” the “Best
Aeromedical KC-135 Configuration
Team,” and the “Best Short Field
Landing Aircrew” trophies. The
competition took place July 23-
29 at Joint Base Lewis-McChord,
Wash.
The Air Mobility Command
Rodeo is a biannual Olympic-style
competition that began in 1956 and
includes competitive categories
for mobility aircrew, maintainers,
aeromedical evacuation, aerial
port, security forces and financial
U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Corinna Jones
management personnel competing Staff Sgt. Christopher Bederio, (center) an Electrical/Environmental Technician and Air-
in their respective core skills.
man 1st Class Scott Zednick, (right) a C-130 Crew Chief both from the 302nd Maintenance
Squadron compete in a maintenance skill challenge during the AMC Rodeo. The
The AMC Rodeo is designed Airmen were tasked to remove an aircraft part that both were unfamiliar with. The 30
to showcase the abilities of U.S. minute timed event provided them with only the hand tools needed and the technical
air mobility forces and allows
manual. Team work and problem solving paid off; they were able to accomplish the task
with seven minutes to spare.
the teams to share the best tactics
and techniques in the continued pursuit of coalition have just come off a deployment, flying all three types
operations around the world.
of medical evac aircraft, so that gave us a strategic
“The team came to perform their best and they did edge over our competition.”
and I’m very proud of them,”
The 302nd AW team agreed that Rodeo is more
said Lt. Col. James Devere,
than a competition, but
302nd Operations Group
a chance to share tactics
Deputy Commander and “The team came to perform their best and knowledge with
302nd AW Rodeo 2011 Team and they did and I’m very proud of
”
them. Airmen assigned to units
Chief. “They have shown
across the Air Force.
superior professionalism and
“This is an opportunity
performance in all of their
- Lt. Col. James Devere
for good relationship
respective career fields.”
building with other
302nd Operations Group Deputy Commander
Twenty-five Reserve
units,” said Capt. Carrie
and Active Duty aircrew, aircraft maintainers and Williamson, 34th AES flight nurse and 2011 Rodeo
aeromedical evacuation Airmen and one C-130 302nd Team medical crew director. “We don’t always
Hercules aircraft from the Wing represented Colorado get to interact with them and Rodeo is the chance to
and showcased their air mobility and combat skills. do that.”
“The total force integration [within the Rodeo The 302nd AW was one of approximately 40 teams
team] has been extremely successful with a fifty/fifty who traveled from Air Force bases around the world,
Reserve/Active Duty in maintenance and a sixty/forty including seven international teams, to participate in
mix with the aircrew,” he said. “All members have this year’s rodeo.
shown great mile high spirit and camaraderie.”
“The 302nd Airlift Wing is a winning team every
“You never walk away from Rodeo without learning day. Rodeo is just a chance to demonstrate it,” said
something about yourself, your crew, and air evac,” Col. Jay Pittman, 302nd AW Commander. “This has
said Master Sgt. Rebecca Diaz, a medical technician been a great opportunity to showcase the skills and
assigned to the 34th Aeromedical Squadron. “We all combat capabilities of our Wing’s Airmen.”
302nd Airlift Wing www.302aw.afrc.af.mil 302nd ‘lassos’ three AMC Rodeo trophies