Yee-Haw!: Travis returns home with 17 Rodeo awards

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Kristen Rohrer
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  With the USAF Band of the Golden West providing the music, teams from the U.S., and around the world listened as Gen. Duncan McNabb, Air Mobility Command commander announced Team Travis as "Best of the Best," during the closing ceremony of the 2007 Air Mobility Command's Expeditionary Rodeo, July 27 held at McChord Air Force Base, Wash..

After months of physical and mental training, Team Travis teams crushed the competition on their way to winning a total 17 individual events; four more than they won at the previous Rodeo competition in 2005.

"Team Travis demonstrated pride, professionalism and our true passion for excellence at the 2007 AMC's Rodeo competition," said Col. Steve Arquiette, 60th AMW commander. "While the 60th AMW won the overall "Best of the Best," we couldn't have trained and competed as strongly as we did without the great day-to-day support from our Reserve partners in the 349th Air Mobility Wing. The 615th Contingency Response Wing fielded strong teams as well."

The 60th Aerial Port Squadron, 60th and 615th Security Forces Squadrons and the 60th, 660th and 860th Maintenance Squadrons and their aircrew put their best foot forward and showed what Travis has to offer during the event.

The security forces teams participated in a 1.5 mile combat tactics course in more than 50 pounds of gear as well as a weapons course.

The 60th APS competed in a 4.5 mile combat challenge course that involved a litter carry and unexploded ordinances to name a few, as well as the engine running on/off load where the team had to load and unload a C-5 Galaxy and a C-17 Globemaster III with two different vehicles in the fastest time without any mistakes. The maintenance teams competed in ground and air refueling and also preflight inspections.

Once all events were finished and all the points had been tallied, it was time for the closing ceremony as General McNabb presented awards to the top teams and the overall "best of the best" award to Team Travis.

"Overall, this win validates just how well prepared we are to do our important and demanding global mobility mission for the nation. We're very grateful that Mr. Bert Gaulke, president of the Travis Regional Armed Forces Committee, spent the entire competition with us cheering on Travis' teams! I'm one very proud commander." Colonel Arquiette said.

"As I said before, I knew we stood a good chance of bringing the Rodeo 2007 'Best Air Mobility Team' award home," Tech. Sgt. Ken Quilici, 60th APS Rodeo Team leader said. "Why? Because we are the best, and this proves it." 

Rodeo 2007, hosted by Air Mobility Command, is a readiness competition between U.S. and international mobility air forces. It focuses on improving warfighting capabilities and support of the Global War on Terror.

"The Rodeo brings together the best of the best," General McNabb said. "It doesn't get any better than this."

Travis won the following:

-- Best Air Mobility Team
-- Best C-5 Air Refueling Aircrew
-- Best C-5 Post-flight Team
-- Best C-5 Maintenance Team
-- Best C-5 Aircrew
-- Best KC-10 Air Refueling Crew
-- Best C-17 ERO Team
-- Best KC-10 Pre-flight Team
-- Best KC-10 Maintenance Team
-- Best KC-10 Cargo Loading Crew
-- Best KC-10 Aircrew
-- Maintenance Knucklebuster Award
-- Best C-5 Team
-- Best C-17 Team
-- Best KC-10 Team
-- Best Tanker Team
-- Best Airland Team