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Mighty 97th Airmen prepare for AMC Rodeo

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Kenneth W. Norman
  • 97th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Seven teams from Altus AFB are preparing for this year's Air Mobility Command Rodeo at McChord Field, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. July 24-29.

The AMC Rodeo is a biennial competition hosted by the U.S. Air Force Air Mobility Command. The international competition focuses on improving worldwide air mobility forces' professional core abilities.

Teams from the 97th Maintenance Directorate, 97th Security Forces Squadron, 97th Logistics Readiness Squadron, 58th Airlift Squadron and 54th Air Refueling Squadron are preparing to compete in various events during the rodeo.

"Our overall goal is to compete with honor, passion, pride, and represent our Air Force and ourselves in a manner we'll all be proud of," said Staff Sgt. Michael Ladrigan, the 97th LRS rodeo team chief. "We will commit maximum effort to win every event and prove we do not have to be a part of AMC to be the 'best of the best' in all areas of Global Air Mobility."

More than 150 teams and 3,000 people from the Air Force and Air Force Reserve, as well as allied nations, are expected to participate.

"The AMC Rodeo is our Super Bowl, and it's important to us because this is our chance to prove to our peers from all over the world, that we are the 'best of the best' aerial porters in the world," Ladrigan said.

"Rodeo tests the flight and ground skills of aircrews as well as the related skills of special tactics, security forces, aerial port operations, aeromedical evacuation and maintenance team members," the competition fact sheet states. "It also provides valuable joint and combined training for all participants."

According to an article by Scott AFB, Ill., Air Force News Service, the rodeo began in October 1956. At that time, officials from 13 troop carrier wings from Continental Air Command, predecessor to Air Force Reserve Command, sent crews to participate in a "Reserve Troop Carrier Rodeo" at Bakalar Air Force Base, Ind. The first airdrop competition for units of the active-duty force occurred in April 1962, when Military Air Transport Service officials held a MATS-wide Rodeo at Scott AFB.

AMC Rodeo teams from Altus continue to train for every event of this competition and are hoping to bring home as many awards as possible. There will be more stories to come as the Rodeo kicks off July 24.