TOP STORY >>Little Rock welcomes back Rodeo Team

By Tech. Sgt. Arlo Taylor
314th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

Base and community leaders welcomed home Little Rock Air Force Base’s Air Mobility Rodeo 2007 team Saturday with a rousing celebration in Hangar 276.

The team brought home the Best C-130 Maintenance Team, Best Post-flight Maintenance Team and 10K Forklift Driving Course Victors honors at the competition held at McChord Air Force Base, Wash.

The 314th Airlift Wing vice commander, Col. Mark C. Vlahos said Little Rock’s maintainers put on a showcase fitting for the team representing the Air Force’s C-130 Center of Excellence.

“Our guys went there with the oldest E-model on the ramp and our maintainers brought home the best C-130 maintenance award. Our folks did us proud,” he said. The colonel told the entire team “You did us all proud and I thank you very much for representing Little Rock Air Force Base, the state of Arkansas and our surrounding communities.”

The team’s efforts didn’t go unnoticed by the local civic leaders and base leaders who made the trek to the competition. The 463rd Airlift Group commander, Col. Jeffery Hoffer, said the team left a lasting impression on the community leaders.

“We were inspired by the team. I know we didn’t bring back all the gold we wanted, but I’m inspired and proud to lead these [team members] in concert with the 314th Airlift Wing. I wouldn’t have anyone else on my team,” he said.

The 2007 Rodeo Team Coordinator Lt .Col. Thomas Glockzin said every C-130 crew in the world knows where the “best of the best” resides.

“We started out as a bunch of guys anticipating winning the biggest trophy, but what we brought back was more important than the biggest trophy … we brought superior teamwork. We know we’re the best even though the score didn’t show it,” Colonel Glockzin said. “I’d go to war with every single person on this team today.”