An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Dutch Rodeo team bands together to help Airman

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Abigail Klein
  • Air Mobility Rodeo 2011 Public Affairs
JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. -- --  Air Mobility Rodeo provides a backdrop for Airmen to share ideas, improve mobility capabilities and build relationships with international partners. It's also a place where partners become friends.

Senior Airman Martin Jensen, 62nd Maintenance Squadron aerospace ground equipment mechanic, was selected to be the liaison for the Royal Netherlands Air Force team, one of seven international crews participating, for Air Mobility Rodeo 2011. Jensen was born in the Netherlands. Dutch was his first language. He learned English almost immediately after moving to the United States with his family in 1997.

Being selected as the liaison for the Dutch Team was an honor for Jensen; he was helping an international team, but Jensen didn't expect was how this opportunity would personally help him.

"The week before Rodeo, my dad called to tell me that my grandmother [still living in the Netherlands] had taken a turn for the worse," Jensen. "At this point, it's counting down the days and hours."

After hearing of Jensen's situation, Maj. Bernie Van Den Berg, the pilot in charge of the Dutch team, decided to take action by inviting Jensen to accompany them on their return flight in a C-130 Hercules.

"I was going back empty anyway, so it seemed ridiculous to go back without him," he said. "He's done a lot for us here."

Jensen was surprised and grateful for the offer.

"I was thinking of going anyway, but paying my own way," Jensen said. "It seemed like everything kind of fell into place."

Despite the unfortunate circumstances that preceded Rodeo, Jensen has enjoyed his time with the Dutch team, and not just because they offered to fly him to his birthplace.

"It's fun being a liaison for the Dutch, because even though I speak [Dutch] somewhat regularly, I don't get to do it all day, so now I'm picking up new words, and my [Dutch] is getting better," he said.

The crew plans to fly out to the Netherlands after the conclusion of Rodeo ... with one extra teammate.