CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The sun had barely peaked over the mountains surrounding Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, when the heat and chaos set in without warning. A team of military medics was ordered into their M50 Joint Service General Purpose Masks and sent sprinting through the desert terrain. Carrying a 200-pound litter between exhausting physical checkpoints, they were thrown into the ultimate test of endurance and tactical medicine.
This opening was just the beginning of the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) Air Force Medic Rodeo, held May 19-20, 2026. Among those pushed to the limit was U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Seth Pack, search and extraction team noncommissioned officer in charge and medic for the 130th Airlift Wing. Participating alongside teammates from across the globe, Pack and his crew engaged in the mission readiness training exercise designed to strengthen critical medical skills, enhance interoperability, and reinforce the commitment to deliver critical care in any environment.
Designed to simulate the relentless pressure of real-world combat, the multi-day event pushes military medics to their absolute limits. Teams from across the branch are tested on combat trauma, prolonged field care, and high-stress tactical decision-making in the harshest, most contested environments.
When Pack received the call from the functional area manager telling him that he would be representing the 130th Airlift Wing, the competition was only weeks away. Unlike active-duty teams that had spent months conditioning together, Pack's team was thrown together on short notice with members from across the country.
“The reality is that true preparation doesn't happen in three weeks,” said Pack. “It is built over years of training, discipline, sacrifice, and repetition.”
That mindset stems directly from Pack’s real-world operational experience, including his role with the CBRNE Enhanced Response Force Package (CERFP). Since the West Virginia CERFP is regularly called upon to support prominent events across the National Capital Region, including major operations like the 2026 State of the Union Address and the 250th Independence Day Celebration, Pack has gained constant, hands-on experience. These response missions demand rapid adaptability and physical readiness, ensuring Pack and the rest of the CERFP remain sharp, versatile, and mission-ready at a moment’s notice.
That training proved essential as the competition progressed. Operating continuously through both day and night, the team was pushed to their physical limits while executing high tempo combat medical operations. They provided patient care under simulated enemy fire, suppressed threats, evacuated casualties to safety, cleared structures, and established casualty collection points, all while hauling heavy equipment and carrying patients.
"The depth and complexity of the medical knowledge demanded during the competition was incredibly vast," Pack explained. "We were expected to transition seamlessly between highly specialized clinical roles and rugged battlefield medicine, maintaining absolute precision under extreme stress."
The scope of care required throughout the event spanned a spectrum of battlefield and clinical medicine. The team managed critical prolonged casualty care patients with limited supplies in austere environments, handled mass casualty scenarios, and provided care during low-level aviation evasive maneuvers. They ran cardiac arrest codes, treated severe crush injuries, administered blood transfusions, and set up walking blood banks in the field.
Beyond trauma, they performed emergency field surgeries, managed austere primary care for common force health issues, provided battlefield emergency care for wounded working K9s, and responded to chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear hazards.
“The sheer amount of medical proficiencies required was definitely the biggest challenge," said Pack. "Nearly all of my teammates were former students I had taught in my Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) courses. Seeing the hard work I have put into the TCCC program pay off on the biggest stage in military medicine made me incredibly proud of the training program we have built through the National Guard Bureau.”
That baseline proved to be the team's greatest strength. Before the competition even began, Pack took comfort in knowing that nearly all of his teammates were former students he had personally instructed in TCCC courses. This shared foundation gave the team a trust in one another and their education, allowing them to communicate seamlessly, move with purpose, and operate as a unit.
When the final results were announced, the 130th Airlift Wing made history by taking first place overall, becoming the first Air Reserve Component team to ever win the AFSOC Medic Rodeo. Bringing the trophy home to West Virginia validated the wing's total force readiness and proved that their meticulous training model translates directly to real-world capability.
“It was a massive honor, but this accomplishment truly belongs to every teammate, mentor, and person who poured into us,” said Pack. “True readiness is not numbers on paper; it is competence when seconds matter and the ability to remain calm in the chaos.”
For Pack and the 130th Airlift Wing, the victory stands as a testament to the discipline and preparation embedded in their daily mission.
"I hope people see that our training works and our readiness is real," Pack said. "We are ready because we train, we adapt, and we understand that the mission is always bigger than any single one of us."