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'Rodeo' competition canceled

  • Published
  • By Air Mobility Command Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  This year's gathering of the Mobility Air Force's biennial Rodeo readiness competition has been canceled.

Gen. Paul Selva, Air Mobility Command commander, decided this week to cancel the competition because of budget shortfalls.

"Given the fiscal uncertainty and current budget cuts, this was the right thing to do," said Gen. Selva. "It is very unfortunate we have to cancel. This is an important and uniquely useful event for mobility air forces and our international partners. We'll get back to holding Rodeo as soon as we can."

It is not the first time Rodeo has been canceled for budgetary or operational tempo reasons, officials say. Rodeo 2003 was called off because of worldwide commitments for the Global War on Terror and humanitarian efforts; in 1988, it was canceled because of budget shortfalls. Rodeo competitions are held to train and improve the abilities of U.S. and international partners' air mobility operations skills while building international relationships.

Three air mobility symposia originally scheduled for the week before the competition are also canceled, officials said.

More than 20 U.S. teams and a dozen allied nations were looking to travel to Washington state in late July for Rodeo 2013 to participate in events that would challenge the capabilities of airlift and air-refueling aircrews, as well as maintenance, aerial port, and aeromedical evacuation. Those participants are being notified of the cancelation through appropriate channels, officials said.