By Senior Airman Abigail Klein
Air Mobility Rodeo 2011 Public Affairs
JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. -- Comptrollers from 11 teams Air Force-wide were timed and tested on their memory, fitness, weapon assembly and chemical warfare skills. The competition was part of the financial management competition at Air Mobility Rodeo 2011.
Rodeo 2011, sponsored by the Air Mobility Command, is the Mobility Air Force's readiness competition. This competition focuses on improving worldwide air mobility forces' professional core abilities. Air Mobility 2011 was held at McChord Field, Wash., from July 24 to 29, 2011.
More than 150 teams and 3,000 people from the Air Force, and Air Force Reserve, as well as allied nations, participated in the competition. The last biennial competition took place in July 2009 -- also at McChord.
In October 1956, 13 troop carrier wings of the Continental Air Command, the Air Force Reserve Command's predecessor, sent crews to participate in a "Reserve Troop Carrier Rodeo" at Bakalar Air Force Base, Ind. The first airdrop competition for units of the active-duty force occurred in April 1962, when the Military Air Transport Service held a MATS-wide Rodeo at Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
The 2011 Rodeo's financial management competition was the first time it was ever held in Rodeo history.