Air Mobility Rodeo 2009

The RODEO Communications team helps ensure all communication are operable during the competitions. RODEO is an international combat skills and flying operations competition designed to develop and improve techniques and procedures with our international partners to enhance mobility operations. The RODEO communications team are, from left, Tech. Sgt. LaSandra President, Tech. Sgt. Rease Wold, 2nd Lt. Andrew Day, Master Sgt. Kevin Sampson and Master Sgt. Diana Feeley. (U.S. Air Force photo)

Air Mobility RODEO 2009

Senior Airmen Uriah Beagle and Kenneth Treadway wire cables in the ceiling in preperation for the Air Mobility RODEO July 19, 2009. RODEO is an international combat skills and flying operations competition designed to develop and improve techniques and procedures with our international partners to enhance mobility operations. Airmen Beagle and Treadway are assingend to the 62nd Communications Squadron, McChord Air Force Base, Wash. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Rease Wold)

RODEO 2009: Communications team keeps competition connected

Published July 19, 2009
By Senior Airman Carrie M. Peasinger
RODEO 2009 Public Affairs

MCCHORD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- More than 100 teams and 2,500 people from the Air Force, Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard and select countries are competing in the Air Mobility RODEO, held at McChord Air Force Base, Wash., July 19 to 24.

An event of this magnitude, takes a lot of planning and coordinating.

Behind the scenes of the RODEO events is where the RODEO communications team can be found. They play a major role in maintaining all operations and are largely comprised of the 62nd Communications Squadron from McChord AFB. The team has also been supplemented by ten additional members from four Air Mobility Command units.

"No mission runs without communications, and we are involved in every aspect of the competition," said 2nd Lt. Andrew Day, 62nd CS. "The communications squadron does not work alone; it takes coordination and timing between five different shops just to get one computer to work. One for cable, one for wiring, one for connection configuration, one to ensure the computer will talk to home base properly and one to deliver, install and configure the computer itself."

In order to prepare, the RODEO CS starts their planning early in the year and consistently works throughout the competition to provide support.

"The pre-planning gets us about 80 percent of the requirements, but as competition begins the RODEO CS stays poised to what situations may arise," said Tech. Sgt. Rease Wold, 62nd CS RODEO communications expeditor.

A large part of their planning is acquiring, placing and configuring more than 1,700 communications assets, including telephones, computers, radios, cell phones and many other services.

"This year we have added commercial wireless and wired internet services, which has improved communications for Combat Camera, the AMC staff and all RODEO competitors," said Sergeant Wold. "It also provides flexibility for mission needs and provides everyone easy communications back home."

Whether a pilot is using navigation aids to land safely, a crew member needs to radio the tower, or another member uses the internet to communicate the results of competition, all communications are made possible with the help and support of the RODEO communications team.