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Aerial port team to test skills at AFRC challenge

Readiness competition tests wide variety of technical skills

36th APS members, from left, Staff Sgt. David Dreadfulwater, Tech. Sgt. Lanisha Metz, Senior Airman James Rudy, Tech. Sgt. Norman Padrones and Tech. Sgt. Jeremy Burlingame will represent McChord Field at the Port Dawg Challenge. /SSGT Nicole Celestine

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(446th AW PA) - It's not always fun being guinea pigs but a six-member aerial port team is pretty stoked to be the first to represent the 446th Airlift Wing at Port Dawg Challenge, a new competition taking place at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Marietta, Ga., Oct. 25-29.

The Port Dawg Challenge is carded to become the Air Force Reserve Command's version of a readiness competition, testing aerial porter knowledge and technical skills as they complete maneuvers like a pallet build-up or C-130 Hercules engine-running offload. The 446th AW team from the 36th APS will be one of more than 22 reserve units taking part in this novel event.

"The Port Dawg Challenge has aerial porters performing about 11 tasks, that are all part of our jobs," said Master Sgt. Mark Gosling, 36th APS ramp NCO in charge and a reservist since 1999.

"Each task must be completed according to Air Force standards with no margin for error. To make the scenarios as realistic as possible, teams are timed as they complete tasks," the Pierce County deputy sheriff added.

To increase its odds at winning, the team has been sharpening its skills since August, while fostering better esprit de corps to work as a well-oiled machine, said Gosling. Reservists must be licensed and trained to operate the equipment in the category they enter in order to compete.

For Tech. Sgt. Lanisha Metz, the Port Dawg Challenge will give her a hint of the tasks she would perform as emergency management assistant if she deployed. The Richland resident said she is looking forward to the competition to gain more experience. The cardiology medical assistant and reservist of five years said she hopes to walk away from the competition with a greater sense of accomplishment, knowing she's added value to the team.

Metz isn't the only one thrilled to be part of the 446th AW trailblazer team at Port Dawg.

"This challenge is a great opportunity for us, because we don't get to do this every day," said Tech. Sgt. Jeremy Burlingame, 36th APS special handling team chief.

"For some of us, we'll gain news skills, while for others; we'll be honing current skills," the U.S. Department of Homeland Security federal agent added.

Team members said they are highly confident that having four seasoned team members who have been downrange to Kirkuk Regional Air Base and Balad Air Base, Iraq, Kuwait and Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, will work to their advantage.

The team, which includes Gosling and Metz, Tech. Sgts. Jeremy Burlingame and Norman Padrones, Staff Sgt. David Dreadfulwater and Senior Airman James Rudy, left for Dobbins Oct. 24.

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