By 1st Lt. Kelly George
314th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
Four Arkansas hometown heroes will compete in the international 2007 Air Mobility Rodeo competition July 22-28 at McChord Air Force Base, Wash.
1st Lt. Sean Kreps of Russellville, Master Sgt. Timothy Grisham of Hot Springs, Staff Sgt. Jonathan Ruelle of Rison, and Airman 1st Class Carl Hook of Mountain View, are all members of the 2007 Little Rock Air Force Base rodeo team.
More than 55 U.S. and international teams are scheduled to participate in the 2007 competition.
The competition focuses on readiness; and showcases airdrop, air refueling, security forces, aerial port, maintenance, and aeromedical evacuation as areas for evaluation.
Little Rock Air Force Base took home two major awards in the 2005 competition: “Best Airdrop Wing” and “Best C-130 Wing” and is gearing up to defend its titles during the 2007 competition.
Lieutenant Sean Kreps, officer in charge of the 314th Logistics Readiness Squadron rodeo team, is “truly honored to be back in the great state of Arkansas and being given the opportunity to represent the great citizens of this state.”
“My team and I intend to do Little Rock and the great state of Arkansas proud,” Lt. Kreps said.
Lieutenant Kreps was raised in Russellville and lived there until he joined the military when he was 19-years-old. He attended Russellville High School and married his high school sweetheart, Rachael Daniel.
Hot Springs native Master Sgt. Timothy Grisham is “extremely proud to have been chosen to represent Arkansas, Little Rock Air Force Base and the 314th AMXS (Aircraft Maintenance Squadron) in this year’s international rodeo competition…I feel we have an extremely well oiled cadre of maintainers that will excel during this competition. I expect good things from these good people,” Grisham said.
Sergeant Grisham is the noncommissioned officer in charge of C-130E aircraft maintenance for the 2007 rodeo team. The son of Howard and Tressie Grisham, also of Hot Springs, he says he has “been fortunate to have spent all but four years of my (service) in the Air Force here at Little Rock and near my family in my hometown of Hot Springs.”
Sergeant Grisham graduated high school in 1986 with 52 other graduates from Fountain Lake High School in Hot Springs and has served in the Air Force for 19 years.
Teammate Staff Sgt. Jonathan Ruelle of Rison is a member of the LRS rodeo team. Sergeant Ruelle, son of Raymond and Debra Ruelle, is “proud to serve my country whether I am home or abroad. The fact that I am home and that I am representing other Arkansans, whether it be in competition with fellow transporters…or defending freedom, I am very humbled and honored,” he said.
Sergeant Ruelle was very active in high school as a member of the Rison High School, “Wildcat” marching band, football, baseball, and track team.
Mountain View native Airman 1st Class Carl Hook, security forces rodeo team member, is “proud to be representing not only the Air Force at the 2007 Rodeo competition, but my hometown,” he said.
The Mountain View High School “Yellow Jacket” graduate lived in Mountain View for eight years before joining the Air Force, and was an outstanding 3.8 GPA student and the 2004 Homecoming King.
More information on the 2007 Little Rock Air Force Base rodeo and team members can be found at www.razorbackrodeo.com.
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