908th Port Dawgs unleash skills during heated competition

  • Published
  • By Lt .Col. Jerry Lobb
  • 908th AW Public Affairs
DOBBINS AIR RESERVE BASE, Ga. --  Six Airmen from the 908th Airlift Wing's 25th Aerial Port Squadron competed in Air Force Reserve Command's Port Dawg Challenge here, June 15-18.

The competition brought together a total of 26 teams from as far away as Guam.
The Port Dawg Challenge is Air Force Reserve Command's premier aerial port competition. The event gives aerial porters the chance to display their abilities and build a sense of camaraderie while competing with other units.

Nicknamed "Port Dawgs," aerial porters are responsible for preparing, processing and loading cargo and passengers for conventional offloading or airdrop. These Airmen are a vital component in the airlift community's mission success.

The 25th APS and its rival squadrons competed in 12 unique events - including a written exam, physical fitness challenge, and timed events -- designed to test the teams both mentally and physically. At the end of the day, one team would come out as "Top Dawg" and take home a bronze statue of a life-size bulldog.

"It has been a challenge preparing and competing here,.  but it's also been fun," said Master Sgt. Frederick Koehl, 25th APS Team Chief.  "We've enjoyed the camaraderie and team spirit within our team, as well as the relationships we've formed with people from other units.

One of the most challenging events was the Fit-to-Fight challenge, performed under the Georgia summer sun in temperatures which hovered near the 100-degree mark. The timed event consisted of a five-lap run (1,500 meters), with a 20-repetition set of "burpees" at regular intervals. 

Airman First Class Alexandra Moton competed along with Koehl and Technical Sgt. Jason Martin in the Fit to Fight event.  She completed 58 burpees and ran like a gazelle despite the sweltering heat.

"It was fun and exciting to be a part of the Port Dawg Challenge.," she said. "I really gained a deeper appreciation for paying attention to the details.  The umpires are extremely knowledgeable, and  I walked away knowing more than when I came."

According to Chief Master Sgt. Whited, the 908th team finished 6th overall in scoring, and Koehl placed third in the load planning event.

"From the all the judges' comments, our team had the best teamwork and work ethic of all the teams," he said. "The camaraderie between our members was one of the best I have seen, and the way our more-experienced member mentored the younger Airmen was truly impressive.

"Following each event, they spent time going over each detail and thinking through the process of how they could improve and how they could teach that to the folks back in the squadron."

After three days of intense competition in the intense heat, the Reservists from the 76th APS from Youngstown Air Reserve Station, Ohio, won honors as the 2015 Top Dawg.