By Sarah Campbell
Leader staff writer
The 314th Airlift Wing took the title of best C-130 team in the world Friday by winning the Gen. Joe W. Kelly Trophy for Best C-130 team at the 2011 Air Mobility Rodeo at McChord Air Field, on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.
The 314th Airlift Wing, flying the oldest C-130E in the rodeo, won five other awards, in addition to the best C-130 team honor.
The awards include:
Best C-130 Team
Best C-130 Airdrop
Best C-130 Aircrew Award
Best C-130 Maintenance Skills Team
Best C-130 Maintenance Team and
Best Overall Maintenance Skills Team
“I couldn’t be more proud of our team,” said Col. Mark Czelusta, 314th Airlift Wing commander.
“While this team was indeed special, it is a representative cross-section of all the members of the 314th Airlift Wing and, indeed, Team Little Rock. Any of our fellow members could have done just as well and we are proud of every single member.”
The rodeo is the premier air-mobility competition in the Air Force and Air Mobility Command. The competition, held this week at McChord Air Force Base, Wash., draws the “best of the best” from air forces around the world.
More than 40 teams and 2,500 people from the Air Force, Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard and several foreign countries participated in the competition.
“I am beyond words and humbled,” Czelusta told The Leader. “It’s easy to congratulate me, but this was really earned by the airmen of our teams, operators and maintainers, working together on a common mission.
“As special as this team is, it is more representative as a cross- section of what makes the 314th airlift wing special,” Czelusta said.
What was significant about the big award for the 314th Airlift Wing’s C130E-model team is that it was the oldest C-130 at the competition and made 600/600 points on its maintenance inspection.
Another notable achievement for the 314th is that its J-model team won best C-130 maintenance-skills team and best overall maintenance-skills team despite the fact their plane broke twice.
The plane had mechanical problems on the way to the competition last Saturday and was repaired at Colorado Springs.
Crews had to fix an electronic circuit breaker and a cabin-pressure translator.
Because of the delay, some events were rescheduled to accommodate the team. Some events were also rescheduled because of poor weather.
The team worked 12 hours a day all week to keep the old plane flying.
Before winning the J-model team award, Chief Master Sgt.Wayne McWilliams said, “My whole team is too strong. In my mind there are no weaknesses.”
Col. Mike Minihan, commander of the 19th Airlift Wing at LRAFB, congratulated the 314th on its success.
Gen. Edward A. Rice, Jr., commander of Air Education and Training Command, which oversees the 314th Airlift Wing, said Little Rock Air Force Base is one of the premier military installations in the world.
“Little Rock is legendary,” he said.
The general stressed the importance of the rodeo, which sharpens skills and brings out new ideas that can be used in the battlefield.
Rice said the rodeo is one big team effort that improves preparedness around the globe.
Several local civic leaders attended the rodeo, including Jacksonville Mayor Gary Fletcher, former Jacksonville Mayor Tommy Swaim, Cabot Mayor Bill Cypert, Sen. Eddie Joe Williams, Rep. Jane English, Larry Wilson of First Arkansas Bank and Larry Biernacke of Arkansas Federal Credit Union.
