100th SFS prepares to carry its weight at Air Mobility Rodeo 2009

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Austin M. May
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  "These guys are fit, they've got a great attitude and they're ready to go."

Lt. Col. Don Robertson, 100th Security Forces Squadron commander, beamed as he watched his squadron's contenders for the 2009 Air Mobility Rodeo finish an obstacle course at the British army's Stanford Training Area (STANTA) July 10.

For two hours prior to the squadron commander's arrival, the five cops ran the 18-station obstacle course again and again, working as a team and figuring out each person's strengths and weaknesses.

Tech. Sgt. Allen Horne, the team's leader, said the obstacle course was more fun than it was training, but after the grueling 10-week fitness regiment the team has endured, a little fun couldn't hurt. Of course, one look at the muddy, sweating members of the team would eliminate any idea that the "fun" wasn't at least slightly challenging.

"This lets us expose our bodies to a variety of different scenarios," Sergeant Horne said. "It's not just the standard running or lifting routine."

Far from a stroll in the forest, the obstacle course had the cops sprinting, ditching, dodging, climbing, crawling, balancing, scaling and pushing themselves to all sorts of demanding limits. Despite the muscle-shredding intensity with which they took on the course, however, they looked like a group of children on a playground, laughing and helping each other along with verbal and the occasional physical motivation.

On the obstacles which seemed to slow the group down, more time and energy was focused.

In no gentle terms, they pointed out each others' mistakes while scrambling up and down a nearly 20-foot tall cargo net wall, wondering aloud which technique yielded the fastest results and who their weakest link was. The insistent Sergeant Horne set a goal and made each person on the team meet it: up and down in less than 20 seconds.

Pain was an ever-present factor accompanying the defenders during the training. But despite the unrelenting nature of the course, one thing was nowhere to be found - complaining.

Each of the cops said in their own words that the speed and stamina they displayed on the obstacle course would have been impossible when they first began training for the Rodeo.

Senior Airman Johnny Keeton said during the course of preparing for the competition, which is scheduled July 19 through 25 at McChord Air Force Base, Wash., he's decreased his run time by one minute, 20 seconds.

"I'm in the best shape of my life," he said.

The Security Forces team will focus on physical fitness, shooting and tactics during the competition. The Mildenhall team's training isn't over, as they plan to focus on the warfighting aspect of the competition on the days leading up to their departure for Washington, Sergeant Horne said.

The cops will be joined by aircrew and maintenance Airmen, each of whom have specialized competitions awaiting them at the biennial Rodeo.

Colonel Robertson said he has high hopes for not just the 100th SFS defenders, but everyone representing RAF Mildenhall.

"The great thing about being in the Air Force is that Airmen have a weird chromosome that makes them want to excel," he said. "Mildenhall has an abundance of that chromosome."