Sodus Airman will compete in July

A Sodus native was selected to compete in the Air Mobility Command Rodeo 2007, the premier international air mobility competition that draws the best of the best from air forces from all around the world.

Major Anthony Carr represents the 62nd Airlift Wing at McChord Air Force Base, Washington, in the biennial Rodeo competition. The event features competitive events in airdrop, air refueling, security forces, aerial port, maintenance and aeromedical evacuation.

Major Carr will compete July 22-28 in the flying events, which include low level flying, airdrop, air refueling, and short field landing among other events. Competitors are chosen by their commanders to represent their units.

'We have a great team participating in Rodeo. I only selected the very best Airmen here to compete,' said Col. Jerry Martinez, 62nd Airlift Wing commander.

Maj. Carr, the Rodeo Team Commander, earned the right to compete in this Olympic-style event, due to his Air Force experience in more than 325 combat hours and 50 combat missions. He was also deployed Chief of Weapons and Tactics for an Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, participated in a 30-day deployment immediately after Sept. 11, 2001, and flew the first night Operation Enduring Freedom mission for high-altitude airdrop of humanitarian rations.

He earned the Air Force awards Distinguished Flying Cross, Wing Pilot of the Year, and the John L. Levitow Award from Airman Leadership School. This is an important competition because it hones and refines our combat skills and provides a construct for all elements of a combat wing to work together toward a common goal.

Competition is one of the main engines driving continually greater capability in Air Force organizations, and Rodeo is an opportunity for competition that is second to none in the air mobility community, Maj. Carr said. Maj. Carr's participation in Rodeo 2007 enables countries and units to increase interoperability by sharing best practices, and by building on relationships with international air forces.

More than 45 U.S. teams will compete, along with competitors from nine countries, and more than 20 countries are sending observers. Rodeo gives us all the chance to improve our skills through competitive events, and in doing so it sets higher standards for the participants.

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