ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- The cast and crew of the globally popular comedy and sports centric YouTube channel, Dude Perfect, stopped by Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, June 10-13, to film an episode of their show featuring Airmen from the 97th Air Mobility Wing.
“This was an amazing opportunity for our Airmen and wing to participate in,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Jeff Marshall, 97th AMW commander. “We train exceptional mobility Airmen here daily, and now the world knows that. Hopefully this effort will inspire the next round of mobility warriors to join the world’s greatest Air Force.”
Dude Perfect is a YouTube channel with over 60 million subscribers, made up of a group of five friends who met in college. After nearly 15 years of trick shot videos, taking them from their own backyard all the way around the world, the Dudes decided to take on the airspace over Altus AFB to perform five different airdrop centric stunts alongside Airmen from the 97th AMW.
Throughout the last 11 months, Airmen from the 97th Operations Group, 97th Mission Support Group, 97th Maintenance Group, 97th Wing Staff Agencies, and the 71st Flying Training Wing located at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma, worked with the Dude Perfect team to craft a video aiming to showcase the precision and expertise of the Mighty 97th with a competitive twist.
Filming kicked off with the 58th Airlift Squadron completing an on target Improved Container Delivery System airdrop from 1,000 feet, demonstrating the precision of C-17 Globemaster III aircraft pilots and loadmasters who conduct training here daily at the 97th AMW.
“We tell the other services in the Department of Defense that we can deliver them anytime, anywhere,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Jacob Schomaker, 58th Airlift Squadron chief pilot instructor and lead operations coordinator for the visit. “The intent of this video was to showcase how difficult that can be while ensuring everyone’s safety in an aircraft moving 150 miles per hour, taking into account atmospheric conditions, and still hitting pinpoint accuracy.”
Following the airdrop, the Dude Perfect members released two rounds of 500 basketballs out the back of a C-17 from 1,000 feet in the air over the drop zone. Fifty basketball hoops were placed on the ground in hopes of making at least one goal to break the world record for the world’s tallest basketball shot. This competition highlighted the aircrew’s expertise at precision airdrops, which is critical in delivering equipment to remote or hostile locations.
“This is not a unique competency for Altus to be exhibiting,” said U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Sierra Morgan, 97th Logistics Readiness Squadron director of operations. “All of our technicians are finely connected, so we can execute anything together, including this unique opportunity. We were able to highlight that we can come out full force and show off Altus doing Altus.”
Following the world-record basketball attempt, the Dudes competed in a round of giant darts, the world’s most difficult mini-golf course, and a “don’t spill the water” challenge while Mobility’s Hometown C-17 pilots completed low-level tactical maneuvers that are typically used in combat scenarios.
Next, they witnessed air refueling operations between a C-17 and a KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft operated by the 54th Air Refueling Squadron.
While the games played were entertaining, they also highlighted the 97th AMW’s operational proficiency and the rigorous training that goes into forging a mobility Airman. Through performing daring aerial stunts and adding a creative twist to familiar games, the Dude Perfect team and 97th AMW Airmen sought to create unforgettable experiences that combined the discipline of military operations with the wonder of childhood imagination.
“From coordinating schedules, managing resources, to integrating activities, it's truly inspiring to see the enthusiasm and commitment from everyone involved,” said Tech. Sgt. Dylan Proteau, 97th Air Mobility Wing executive assistant to the command chief and lead support coordinator for the visit.