RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany -- A hand stretches ahead again and again, shoving mud past as an Airman pushes their body across the pit, sharp barbed wire catching on their backpack. As exhaustion begins to set in, the sound of the rest of their team pushes them to crawl faster, hoping they are almost through the obstacle.
Cheering loudly for their teams, the 435th Contingency Response Group came together to participate in its first 435th CRG Olympics on Ramstein Air Base, Germany, May 5, 2017.
The 435th Air Mobility Squadron, 435th Construction and Training Squadron, 435th Security Forces Squadron, and Detachment 1 each planned an event to challenge the teams to not only complete, but to share with one another what each squadron does every day.
“Each squadron came up with an event, giving each of the other competing squadrons the opportunity to learn what the other does and how they do it,” said Col. Patrick Daley, 435th CRG commander.
An obstacle course, Kaiser Sled, and a pallet build were among six events held during the 435th CRG Olympics. At the end of the day it was a team from the 435th CTS who took first place.
“The 435th CRG Olympics was a great event that helped to build morale, good camaraderie, and provide training for Airmen across the group,” Daley said.
The 435th CRG is U.S. Air Forces in Europe's only expeditionary “open-the-base” force that provides a cross-functional and rapidly deployable force designed to assess and open airbases and perform initial airfield operations.
“We are spread all over the continent so the event was a great opportunity to bring everyone together to showcase sportsmanship with some healthy competition, too,” said Senior Master Sgt. Andrew Shone, 435th SFS operations superintendent.
The 435th CRG Airmen provide expeditionary airfield ops, combat support and training, flyaway security training, construction, and mobile aircraft arresting system (MAAS) support, enabling rapid stand-up of combat operations anywhere in the U.S. European Command area of responsibility.
The 435th CRG Olympics provided an opportunity to practice all of their operations in a unique and friendly competition, every Airman leaving the field with a new appreciation for how their group accomplishes the mission.