News

Team Dover shines at Rodeo

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Jennifer Guerrero
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. --  More than 50 Team Dover members participated in the 2011 Air Mobility Command's Rodeo competition.

The biennial competition began July 24 and focused on improving our worldwide air mobility forces through readiness competition to prepare for future deployments.

There were approximately 150 teams, including seven international teams and more than 3,000 people from across the Air Force, Air Force Reserve and allied nations. There were also teams from 20 nations observing the competition.

Team Dover is truly a one team effort consisting of members from the 436th Airlift Wing and the 512 AW.

Dover Air Force Base, Del., is the only base that brought the C-5M Super Galaxy to the competition.

"We scored a 590 out of 600 in our pre-flight inspection," said Senior Airman Randall McKee, 436th Maintenance Squadron.

Every competing team has their own team T-shirt and hat, and even though Dover's beige color may not standout, their readiness and preparation set them apart from the rest.

"This is what we do, we've been doing this our whole career so we are ready," said Senior Airman Dale Periman, a ramp services specialist with the 436th Aerial Port Squadron.

Dover's Port Dawgs found out two weeks before the competition that they would be performing Engine Running On-load/Off-load for the C-5M as well, but an observer would not have seen the lack of experience if they watched the Port Dawg's performance. Their first ERO only took 5 minutes, 39 seconds.

"It was a team effort by Team Dover," said Staff Sgt. Jesus Trejo, the 436th APS team chief.

According to Trejo, since May 1, the team practiced on the C-17, depending upon the availability of maintenance, an aerial port expeditor or a loadmaster.

Team Dover also started strong with the 436th Comptroller Squadron performance in self aid and buddy care.

According to Master Sgt. Angela Stout, 436 CPTS superintendent and Rodeo evaluator, this was the first time comptrollers have been invited to a Rodeo competition.

The 436 CPTS, nicknamed 'The Money Makers,' were evaluated on various deployed environment scenarios including financial management, cashier and customer service accounting and more.

Team Dover was well equipped, especially the security forces squadron team, not only with weapons but also with two alternate members ready to compete at anytime if any of the four members were injured.

"Our competition consists of weapons, tactics and an endurance obstacle course," said Master Sgt. Sean Burke, 436 SFS team leader.

The competition ended July 29 and Team Dover took home nine awards. They are:

Best C-5 Wing -- Team Dover, Dover AFB, Del.

Best Airland Wing -- Team Dover, Dover AFB

Best C-5 Air-To-Air Refueling Team: Team Dover

Best C-5 Aircrew: Team Dover

Best C-5 Preflight Team: Team Dover

Best C-5 Maintenance Skills Team: Team Dover

Best C-5 Maintenance Team: Team Dover

Best C-5 Engine Running Offload: Team Dover

Best C-17 Engine Running Offload: Team Dover