Team Alaska heading to Air Mobility Command Rodeo

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Christopher Gross
  • JBER Public Affairs
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  After several months of preparation the time has finally come for Team Alaska to showcase their air mobility and combat skills at this year's Air Mobility Command Rodeo, which kicks off Saturday and runs till July 29 at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.
The Rodeo is a biannual Olympic-style competition, beginning in 1962, it involves mobility aircraft with air crew, maintainers, aeromedical evacuation personal, aerial port and security forces personnel competing in their respective core skills.

The several different groups will be made up of approximately 30 members from the 773rd Logistics Readiness Squadron, 517th Airlift Squadron, 3rd Equipment Maintenance Squadron, 517th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, 176th AMU and 673d Security
Forces Squadron.

The event showcases the best of U.S. and international mobility forces' abilities and and allows the teams to share the best tactics and techniques in the continued pursuit of coalition operations around the world.

Ask any member of Team Alaska if they're ready for competition and the answer you'll receive is most likely going to be the same.

"I think compared to most of the training security forces does, these guys are more prepared than anybody else as far as competition goes," said Tech. Sgt. James Chopik, security forces team chief.

Chopik said, his team has been training since the second week of May, often putting in 10-12-hour days and he feels his Airmen have given all they have and their hard work has paid off.

"They're running twice as far than they were, their strength and endurance has doubled since then, I've seen a big changes," Chopik said. "They were already in shape, but they've toned up and have gotten stronger."

Team Alaska team chief, Capt. Brian Muto, said he feels very comfortable with the team they're taking to JBLM.

"Truthfully, the individuals competing as Team Alaska have been training for this competition their entire careers, as Rodeo 2011 tests who is the best of the best in the world of air mobility," Muto said.

"As Team Alaska's team chief my expectation for each individual team member is to give their absolute best effort during the competition," he added. "I expect to win, but more importantly we will share our experience with other teams at Rodeo and we will bring home lessons learned, increasing combat effectiveness and readiness here at JBER."
Master Sgt. Nathan Ellis, who participated in the Rodeo a few years ago while stationed at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho.

Ellis said he feels the knowledge he has about how meticulously the judges can be will be a help to his troops.

According to Ellis everything has to be done by the book and no steps can be left out or altered to achieve success.

Ellis has the maintenance lead heading into Rodeo and also feels prepared with the team they're going with.