Air Mobility Command’s Rodeo: Past and Present Published July 9, 2009 FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- Air Mobility Command's Air Mobility Rodeo 2009 is quickly approaching. This year's competition will be held at McChord Air Force Base, Wash., from July 19 to 24. The Air Mobility Rodeo competition brings together more than 100 teams and 2,500 mobility professionals from the Air Force Active Duty, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard, as well as allied nations to test the flight and ground skills of flight crews, security forces, aerial port operations, aeromedical evacuation and maintenance team members. The competition focuses on improving our worldwide air mobility forces' professional core abilities. This year, Fairchild is entering three teams into the competition - aircrew, security forces and maintenance. Each team competes in multiple events and is graded on specific aspects of their respective missions. The competition will be fierce and Team Fairchild is working hard to bring home the gold. The Air Mobility Rodeo is steeped in history and tradition. Although the competition has evolved over the years from an air drop contest into an all-around MAF competition, its purpose remains unchanged; to enhance esprit de corps while refining the mobility force's ability to bring the fight to the enemy world-wide. The competition started in 1956 as the Reserve Troop Carrier Rodeo, held at Bakalar Air Force Base in Indiana. Thirteen troop carrier wings from the Continental Air Command, a predecessor of today's Air Force Reserve, competed. Headquarters Western Transport Air Forces sponsored the first active duty competition in 1961 as an incentive for C-124 Globemaster II aircrews to learn Computed Air Release Point aerial delivery operations. The following year, the Military Air Transport Service held the first command-wide CARP Rodeo at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. Seven C-124 wings from around the world competed in this inaugural event with the 1502d Air Transport Wing from Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, emerging as the winner. Through the decades the Rodeo competition continued to advance skills and promote camaraderie among Airmen. The tanker competition portion was added in the 1990's as AMC replaced the Military Airlift Command. Commands and commanders changed, new events and aircraft were added, even the competition's name changed several times. Today's Air Mobility Rodeo competition represents years of collective learning and experience. Fairchild's participation in this year's Rodeo is three-fold. Our aircrew will compete in both day and night tanker air refueling missions, as well as cargo loading. In addition they will be graded on their initial landing at McChord, with penalties for every second they deviate from their scheduled arrival time. Our maintainers will be graded on preflight, post-flight, refueling operations, and the basic overall condition of the aircraft. Maintainers also compete for the "Knuckle Buster Award" - Rodeo's award to the maintenance team that displays the highest standards of professionalism, dedication and mutual respect for their competitors. Our Security Forces members will compete in the highly specialized combat tactics, combat weapons and combat endurance course events. Finally, five handpicked Rodeo team members will represent Team Fairchild in the Fit-to-Fight competition. In addition to category awards, Team Fairchild is competing for the prestigious "Best Air Mobility Wing" trophy. Team Fairchild continues to train hard for this year's AMC Rodeo. In addition to training, they have been hard at work raising funds for the event's necessary expenses. The group hosted several burger burns and two family photo days with a KC-135 Stratotanker and plans to host additional events in July, with details following in the near future. Fairchild's Rodeo Team asks for your continued support at these important fundraisers. We deeply appreciate your ongoing encouragement and support.