Photo By Airman 1st Class Elijah Strickland | U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Zaid Windley, 635th Materiel Maintenance Support Squadron...... read more read more
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Holloman Air Force Base, N.M. – The 635th Materiel Maintenance Squadron held its third annual Cargo Rodeo at the Basic Expeditionary Airfield Resources base May 7, 2026.
Airmen from 49th and 355th Logistics Readiness Squadrons participated in a competition involving forklift driving and pallet building. The event encompassed agile combat employment concepts and showcased airmen being capable of doing tasks outside their career field.
“Our Airmen are trained in pallet building and forklift driving,” said U.S. Air Force 2nd Lt. Gage Kitson, 635th MMS officer in charge of war reserve materiel and readiness spares packages “so the rodeo was a way for us to see how capable our Airmen can be with something they don’t do on a daily basis.”
The forklift time-trial race involves two drivers navigating a narrow, coned-off road while carrying cargo in under 20 minutes. Teammates on the ground also participate by holding wooden planks and performing squats, with each rep reducing scored time and earning additional points.
Pallet builder teams worked to strap and secure carriers and wooden crates in under 40 minutes. This demonstrated Airmen’s ability to work together under a time constraint similar to what they could face out in the field.
Whether it is teaching how to secure crates at a faster rate or driving forklifts in tighter locations, the LRS Airmen leave the cargo rodeo with valuable experience, according to U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Alexander Hubbard, 635th MMS noncommissioned officer in charge of inspection.
“We were able to learn from one another due to others having more experience in a certain area,” said Hubbard.
Competitors spent time during breaks and after the event to talk about work topics and experiences, while partaking in the provided food, drinks, and casual games.
“It was a way for Airmen to build camaraderie and have a stress-free day while doing something new with regional bases,” said Kitson.
The 635th MMS will continue the cargo rodeo annually, with plans to expand to more bases across the country.
| Date Taken: | 05.07.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 05.26.2026 13:19 |
| Story ID: | 566116 |
| Location: | HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, NEW MEXICO, US |
| Web Views: | 18 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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