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Throughout 2017, all bomb and missile wings from Air
Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) competed against each
other in multiple bomber operations, bomber maintenance,
Inter Continental Ballistic Missile operations and
maintenance, helicopter operations and Security Forces
competitions. This is known as Global Strike Challenge.
The challenge identifies the best operations,
maintenance and Security Forces personnel and units
performing the AFGSC mission through competition by
measuring mission proficiency of teams.
The 2nd Bomb
Wing competed for the title of “Best Bomb Wing” through
Bomber operations, bomber maintenance and Security Forces
competitions. Each competition as well as each section will
have their own awards.
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November 15, 2017 - The 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base,
Louisiana, took home the Fairchild Trophy for Best Bomb Wing in
Global Strike Command during the 2017 Global Strike Challenge.
Trophies were awarded during a score posting event at Barksdale AFB,
Louisiana. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Stuart Bright)
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The Security Forces units were
sent to Camp Guernsey, Wyoming to compete in firing
competitions, active shooter drills, resource recovery and
mental and physical challenges.
The bomber portions
were on June 26th and 28th, with two B-52 Stratofortresses
flying each day. They flew to Utah to conduct bombing runs
against the B-52s from Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota,
as well as the B-1 Lancer and B-2 Spirit.
For Bomber
Maintenance there is a nuclear and conventional side for
each competition which feature crew chiefs, weapons loaders
and munitions. The difference between nuclear and
conventional competitions is that the nuclear competitions
have extra steps and duties due to more requirements.
Global Strike Challenge isn’t just about winning
trophies, but also about pushing our Airmen to be even
better at their jobs than they were before.
“We put
our blood, sweat and tears into practicing, making
everything second hand reflexes,” said Senior Airmen Katelyn
Sonberg, 2nd Munitions Squadron. “To the competition, watch
out because we are coming and we are going to crush you.”
Another way the challenge helps Airmen is that if one
Wing is better at one competition than another, they can
communicate to further the mission by trading each other’s
best practices with each other.
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November 15, 2017 - The 341st Missile Wing at Malmstrom Air Force
Base, Montana, took home the Blanchard Trophy for Best ICBM Wing in
Global Strike Command during the 2017 Global Strike Challenge.
Trophies were awarded during a score posting event at Barksdale AFB,
Louisiana. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Stuart Bright)
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“If we are doing
something better than Minot Air Force Base is, or vice
versa, this is the time we get to showcase to our command
who in turn can take that and assimilate it across the
command to make our whole command better,” said Senior
Master Sgt. Dean Middleton, 20th Aircraft Maintenance Unit
assistant superintendent.
Not only will this make
our Airmen faster and more proficient at their jobs, but
also more combat ready.
“The pressure from
competition puts the Airmen in a stressed environment,” said
Middleton. “If they can operate in that environment, if you
put them in a live fire situation or hostile environment the
pressure will be different, but it will be pressure none the
less.”
After months of competition between Wings
across the command, the competitors get to see their hard
work pay off at the Global Strike Challenge score posting.
By U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Stuart Bright
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2018
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