Photo By Airman 1st Class Gracelyn Hess | U.S. Air Force medics treat a simulated patient during the 16th Annual Medic Rodeo...... read more read more
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For the first time, a team representing the Defense Health Agency participated in the U.S. Air Force’s 16th annual Medic Rodeo at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, May 12-15, 2025.
The rodeo brought together 18 teams from across the service to compete and train in medical and operational scenarios designed to improve readiness and strengthen emergency medical response.
The DHA team, comprising two medical and two nonmedical members, represented a diverse mix of skills: Medics on the team held emergency medical technician certifications, while their teammates came from administrative and logistics backgrounds.
The team, from Joint Base San Antonio, included:
· U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Raneil Buenviaje, Defense Medical Readiness Training Institute instructor
· U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Mychal Sturdivant, project officer, DHA facilities enterprise
· U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Robert Wells, Defense Medical Readiness Training Institute instructor
· U.S. Air Force Capt. Kelsey Liu, health facilities architect, Medical Service Corps.
According to Buenviaje, the annual competition served a dual purpose: “To get a good snapshot of where medics are today, and to see how things have progressed—it’s also an opportunity to introduce new warfare tactics and enhanced training the U.S. Air Force may be implementing in the future.”
The U.S. Air Force also used analytics from the event “to see if there are proficiency trends or areas they can improve and learn more,” said Buenviaje.
The competition tested the team’s skills, teamwork, and adaptability across three rigorous events:
· Emergency medical service scenarios
· Progressive trauma scenarios (following patients throughout the entire spectrum of care)
· Medic fitness commando challenge
Over three days, the DHA team tackled nine different medical scenarios ranging from a near-drowning and childbirth to burn treatment, chemical exposure, canine-casualty care, and a no-instruction mass casualty event.
Team members noted that the inclusion of nonmedical personnel added to the realism of the training. While not typically frontline caregivers, these airmen supported medical teammates by securing supplies, aiding with equipment, and managing scene control.
Not knowing what to expect or train for, Buenviaje said his team prepared for the competition mainly by building on their familiarity with tactical combat casualty care, including introductory tier 1 and tier 2 training for nonmedical team members.
“We focused on TCCC, because it’s primarily what everyone across the Department of Defense should be familiar with… in adherence to the Secretary of Defense’s requirements that our baseline should be TCCC,” he stated.
“This way, we knew at the worst-case scenario, we had at least those as our basics across the board, and going through the course helped us identify what their capabilities are, what their roles are,” Buenviaje said, referring to the nonmedical participants.
The team performed well, finishing in 13th place overall, including a fourth-place finish in the commando challenge, and one top 10 finish.
“This was our first year as a team, and we didn’t have a coach like most of the other units,” said Buenviaje. “Still, we were able to finish strong in several areas.”
Participants said the experience demonstrated both their strengths and areas for improvement. It also offered a rare opportunity for DHA personnel not assigned to a military hospital or clinic to train in a deployed setting.
On the first day, team members said they got a glimpse of the rodeo’s training and competition when their scenario followed a patient from every layer of care, starting at the point of injury.
Despite never working together before, Buenviaje said they trained, bonded, and quickly adapted.
For Sturdivant, who is not a medic, working with patients and assisting with medical scenarios was a challenge, yet the nonmedical participants quickly learned and relied on their backgrounds, knowledge, and experience to figure out how they could help their team. As advice to possible future participants, he said “Use your background to your advantage.”
Sturdivant said while participating in the rodeo, “There was a lot of on-the-fly thinking, and a lot of making appropriate decisions at an inconvenient time.”
Buenviaje described the rodeo’s scenarios as very realistic, and at times he “wasn’t sure if it was real or not … this was legitimate.” He said the highlights of the training were camaraderie and the opportunity to connect with your team. “When you’re deployed, your team is your family away from home. For that short time—when we were in medical rodeo—we all got close. You learn how to be a team, when in the beginning, you aren’t a team.”
The rodeo served as both a readiness tool and a professional development opportunity, combining education, evaluation, and lessons learned.
Buenviaje said he hopes the DHA will sponsor future teams and would like to help coach to share his experience in the competition.
“This was one of the best training experiences I’ve had during my U.S. Air Force career—an invaluable experience,” he said. “I hope the DHA continues to support this opportunity for others in the future.”
| Date Taken: | 06.09.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.09.2025 16:04 |
| Story ID: | 500094 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 50 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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