Kadena Airmen participate in 2009 Air Mobility Rodeo competition

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Angelique Perez
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  Airmen from the 909th Air Refueling Squadron, the 18th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, and the 718th Maintenance Squadron headed to McChord Air Force Base, Wash., this week to compete against other air mobility teams from around the world. 

Air Mobility Rodeo 2009 is sponsored by the Air Mobility Command and is the Mobility Air Force's readiness competition. The Rodeo focuses on improving air mobility forces' core professional capabilities. 

Kadena's teams will compete in the air-refueling, maintenance, aeromedical evacuation, and fitness competitions at this year's Air Mobility Rodeo July 19-24. Competition will be stiff, as teams from various major commands, Guard and Reserve units, and Navy and Marine sister services will vie for the title along with teams from a number of foreign countries, including Germany, Turkey, Belgium, Malaysia, and Spain. 

Major Marcus Maltby, Chief of Tactics for the 909th ARS, and the Team Chief for Kadena's Rodeo team said, "We will be bringing in a KC-135 which we will use to compete in both the aerial refueling events and the instrument approach events, as well as the maintenance event, which is based on how well the aircraft is maintained and up to standards compared to other jets." 

He added that there would also be a cargo-loading event in which the boom operators will be given a set cargo manifest; they'll have to figure out the problems and then load the cargo appropriately. 

"I'm very excited and I think we'll do quite well," Maj. Maltby said. "It's a very big event in the mobility world. We've been doing quite a bit of practice here." 

The teams have been training together since early April, the maintenance crew working hard to get the jet into peak condition for the competition and the aircrew flying once or twice a week. 

"Since we've had the aircrew finalized we've been trying to fly once or twice a week doing air-refueling missions and working on timing, which is the biggest portion for the aircrew, also holding and air-refueling orbits. So we've spent a lot of time practicing that," Maj. Maltby said. 

The aeromedical evacuation team, which will compete in three different events during the Rodeo, has been training rigorously since May to ensure they are prepared, according to Tech. Sgt. Chris Simpson, an Aeromedical Evacuation Technician from the 18th AES participating in this year's Rodeo. 

"I'm very proud to be one of those chosen to represent Kadena at the Rodeo," said the sergeant. "The 18th AES did a competitive selection process, so to be one of the three technicians selected is an honor." 

All teams are graded on timing, precision, safety, and accuracy in the scenario they are given for each event. Five of the Kadena Airmen will also participate in a Fit-to-Fight competition consisting of a 1.5 mile run, push-ups, and sit-ups.