Hickam’s Rodeo 2009 team returns

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Carolyn Viss
  • 15th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, Hawaii --  Forty total-force team members from Hickam's active-duty and Air National Guard units, including aerial porters from all around the Pacific, returned from the Air Mobility Rodeo 2009 July 25. 

Flight crew members, maintainers, security forces, and joint airdrop inspection specialists here competed against more than 100 teams and 2,500 people from the Air Force and allied nations at this biennial, international competition July 19-25 at McChord Air Force Base, Wash. The units competed in events that tested and judged every aspect of their career fields' core competencies. 

Although Team Hickam did not return with any of the 16 awards that were presented, "ultimately, the Rodeo isn't just about trophies, it's about sharing tactics and techniques and the best ways of doing business," said Maj. James Chapa, 15th Operations Group 

Standardizations and Evaluations and team commander. "All of our competitors should be proud not only that they were chosen as top in their fields, but that they traveled to McChord to show the world how Team Hickam accomplishes the mission." 

Rodeo events for both 15th Airlift Wing teams and the Pacific aerial porters included joint airdrop inspections, an engines running on/off load competition, 60,000-ton and 10,000-ton driving courses, combat challenges, maintenance competitions and inspections, security forces combat arms events, and C-17 sorties for aircrew, loadmasters, and designated umpires. 

The most challenging event for Tech. Sgt. Juan Felix, 15th Security Forces Alpha flight assistant flight chief, was a security forces endurance course July 23. 

"We never got to train with obstacles, because we don't have an obstacle course at Hickam," he said, "They challenged us, but we still exceeded the expectations and did better than a majority of the competitors in that event." 

His four-person team did "outstanding," he said, "way beyond what we thought we could," in spite of the fact that they lost 10 percentage points in each event right off the bat because their team did not meet the rank requirements which stated they needed two E5s and below. Their unit, which is heavily tasked for deployments, sent the most qualified, available defenders. 

"I liked everything about the Rodeo," Sergeant Felix said. "The camaraderie with other security forces units and the challenge of each event was awesome. I would definitely want to do it again." 

Behind the scenes, 15th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron C-17 maintainers were also working hard to ensure the success of the team. 

"Maintenance is there before, during, and after anything that goes on the airplane," said Staff Sgt. Kelley Tolbert, 15th Maintenance Group quality assurance. "Before ops can fly, we have to ready the plane; when ops is done flying, we have to inspect and close up the plane." 

Additionally, they were responsible for routing and non-routine maintenance, and refueling. 

"At the actual Rodeo, we competed in preflight, refuel, and combined basic post flight/preflight," Sergeant Tolbert said. "We had our inspections to do, but we also had to launch and recover the plane in between." 

Team members came away from the event with advice for the next Rodeo team, and agreed they will be even more prepared for the next Air Mobility Rodeo, two years from now. 

"I think our team did outstanding," Sergeant Tolbert said. "We have a smaller fleet than the other teams, which means that our jet didn't get the required down time it needed. We started out behind because we didn't have the same opportunities other bases did when it came to working on our jet. I would definitely advise the next team to try for more ground time to prepare for Rodeo." 

"Now we have experience," Captain Klohr said. "Only two of our aerial porters had been to the Rodeo before, and as the team lead I hope to carry over lessons learned to the team in 2011." 

Team leaders agreed the Airmen who attended have a lot to be proud of because they competed in a premiere air mobility event which they were hand-selected for. 

"We are extremely proud of the guys because they never gave up," Captain Klohr added. "We were able to give them the opportunity to excel, and ... they competed well. Even though they can't be considered Rodeo champs, they are still our champs."