Coming this July to McChord AFB, Wash., are more than 55 US and international teams ready to tackle Air Mobility Command’s Rodeo 2007 competition. Joining 41 USAF teams will be three from the Marine Corps and one from the Coast Guard and teams from Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Egypt, Germany, Netherlands, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Turkey, and United Arab Emirates. Observers are coming from another 19 foreign countries. The last Rodeo, which features airdrop, air refueling, and events demonstrating security forces, aerial port, maintenance, and aeromedical evacuation capabilities, was held in 2005.
Amid a high-profile recruiting crisis, Air Force leaders and experts have increasingly noted the challenging long-term trends the service will face in enticing young Americans to sign up—decreasing eligibility to serve, less propensity to do so, and less familiarity with the military. But while those same leaders say there’s no “silver…