Team Travis participates in Rodeo opening ceremony

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Michael Battles
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. --  Thousands of people gathered at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, July 24, 2011, to kick off Air Mobility Rodeo 2011.

Airmen from around the globe, including seven international teams, are participating in the biennial competition that focuses on mission readiness, featuring airdrops, aerial refueling and other events that showcase the skills of mobility crews.

This year promises to be the largest Rodeo ever, according to Col. R. Wyn Elder, the commander of the 62nd Air Mobility Wing, host unit for the event. In addition, teams from 20 nations have traveled here to observe the various challenges with the hopes of competing in the future.

During the opening ceremonies, the commander of Air Mobility Command, Gen. Raymond E. Johns Jr., inspected the units standing in formation participating in Rodeo 2011.

With him was Brig. Gen. Rick Martin, the Rodeo 2011 commander, who welcomed the teams. "There is no greater assembly of mobility professionals," Martin said. "Let's celebrate camaraderie ... and let's do it all safely."

Riders on horseback presented the flags of each international team. As the host nation, parachutists from the 627th Special Tactics Squadron jumped from the back of a C-17 Globemaster III displaying the American and POW/MIA flags.

"To stand at opening ceremony with Mount Reiner in the backdrop is amazing," said Chief Master Sgt. John Evalle, 60th Air Mobility Wing command chief. "This event is the Super Bowl of air mobility. From my short time with the team it's absolutely apparent that they are ready to compete."

This year marks the first time the event is being held since the advent of joint basing, as noted by the 62nd AMW commander, Col. R. Wyn Elder. Elder thanked the garrison commander, Army Col. Thomas H. Brittain, for his support in putting on Rodeo 2011.

Brittain has overseen Joint Base L-M since the two installations merged, and Elder called him, "Without question, the finest Airman in the United States Army."

"We want you all to focus on the competition at hand," Elder said to the crowd. "We're excited to open the doors to Joint Base Lewis-McChord to you and I look forward to the best Rodeo competition ever. Let camaraderie define victory," the colonel added.

That spirit of competition has long been a tradition of Rodeos in the past.

For Adjutant Joris Retty, a C-130 loadmaster from the Belgium air force, this year marks his third Rodeo. He was previously here in 2005 and 2009. When one of his teammates fell ill, he jumped at the chance to come back and help coach the rest of his team.

"Nothing motivates me more than the spirit of competition," the E-7 said."It's great to meet people from other nations and socialize. I actually went to loadmaster school at Little Rock Air Force Base in Arkansas, so it's nice to be back in America. I can't wait to get started."

The competition culminates at the end of the week with the crowning of the Rodeo champion. The 62nd AMW from McChord won the last Rodeo in 2009.

"It was just a phenomenal experience at the opening ceremonies," said 1st Lt. Frank Hernandez, 60th Aerial Port Squadron rodeo event coordinator. " Seeing the international partners working along side our U.S. forces really shows that each one of the these teams has come to win."

(Staff Sgt. J.G. Buzanowski contributed to this article)