19th legacy flyers prepared to win

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Mallory Glass
  • 19th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. --  A hand-picked C-130 Legacy aircrew will be representing the 19th Airlift Wing this week while competing in Air Mobility Command's RODEO at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

The Legacy RODEO team was chosen by all three Legacy squadrons submitting names to the senior leaders of the 50th, 61st and 53rd Airlift Squadrons. The senior leaders then chose from the pool, said Maj. Harvey Heck, 19th Operations Group C-130E/H evaluator pilot.

The team is led by Heck of the 53rd AS, the copilot is Capt. Matt Niblett, 61st AS, and Capt. James Wilson, 50th AS, is the navigator. Tech. Sgt. Matt Blank, 50th AS, is the crew's flight engineer, the loadmaster is Staff Sgt. Mike Berry, 61st AS, and Senior Airman Dmitri Sokgobenzon, 53rd AS, is also a loadmaster.

"We are looking forward to doing what we do best," said Heck. "We have a great team and plan to showcase our operational capabilities."

They will be competing in a variety of events to prove their C-130E/H dominance to all of AMC, the Air Force, and foreign nation's who will also be participating. These events will include visual low-level navigation, container deliver system, which are airdrops with cargo loaded on top of honey-combed platforms, personnel, assault landing, engine running off-load, and a joint competition with maintenance, reversing a C-130. In order to prepare for RODEO, the crew has been flying together at least once a week, said Sokgobenzon. The most difficult part of our training has been scheduling the crew, from all three squadron, to fly at the same time.

"This is my first RODEO," said Sokgobenzon. "I am looking forward to challenging my own skills, the competition aspect, and the great experience of working with and learning from other AMC bases and foreign countries."

"Our twice-a-week, night-and-day practices have built strong cohesion and camaraderie within this tactical airlift crew," said Wilson. "I am really honored to be a member of this exceptional crew and we are excited to bring back some titles for the 19th Airlift Wing and Little Rock AFB."