Annual Great Plains Stampede Rodeo brings Altus AFB and community together

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Klynne Pearl Serrano
  • 97th Air Mobility Wing
ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  An event unique to Altus AFB took place on base to kick off the Great Plains Stampede Rodeo, Aug. 23, 2012.

Base commanders, personnel and local ranch hands rode 109 horses to drive 34 cattle around on base while families, students, and other base personnel watched.

"This is a community that is engaged with the base like no other," said Col. Anthony Krawietz, 97th Air Mobility Wing commander. "It is so important for us to be out here, engage with the community, and take advantage of what the community has to offer because we get to know what they do, they get to know who we are, and then we invite them onto the base and they get to know what we do."

Students from Rivers Elementary School sat along the sidewalks of the base Youth Center to experience the cattle drive as well.

"You should have seen the kids out there all along the road," said Chief Master Sgt. David Fish, 97th Air Mobility Wing command chief. "Altus, the local communities, and all these cowboys really made the day for us."

Cattle drive spectators expressed the rarity of cattle running around a military installation.

"It's unusual to see longhorn cattle on an Air Force base, especially sitting in front of [static] aircraft," said Sherry Chadwick, Altus resident. She and her husband agree that overall, it was an enjoyable experience.

Aside from the cattle drive, the rodeo team learned about the base and our mission in the air.

"We took the rodeo team out on a ride yesterday on a C-17 [Globemaster III] and they just absolutely loved it," Krawietz said.

Food, music, and entertainment attracted many people to Military Appreciation Night at the City of Altus rodeo grounds.

"This is the second time I've done this," Krawietz said. "This is just another event where the community invites the base to be a part of what they do here in Southwest Oklahoma."

The first event was a tug of war competition where the 97th Security Forces Squadron defeated last year's champions, the 58th Airlift Squadron.

Other events that took place included a wheelbarrow race and various rodeo competitions.

"My favorite part is just being involved in Southwest Oklahoma and everything that they do," Krawietz said. Tight relationships build a strong community.