Dark Knights Strike in Challenge

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Alexandra M. Boutte
  • 509 Bomb Wing Public Affairs
Barksdale Air Force Base, La. --  Global Strike Challenge returns for a second time, Nov. 5-9 at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., welcoming top security forces, maintainers and missile and bomber crews in head-to-head competition.

The competition rewards excellent performance scores in operations, security forces and maintenance categories with wings competing from across Air Force Global Strike Command, Air Combat Command, the Air National Guard and Air Reserve Command.

"The 509th Security Forces Squadron Airmen did exceptional," said Lt. Col. Kenneth O'Neil, 509th SFS commander. "It was a great effort and a true testament of stamina and mental toughness which they pulled off. They were at the top of the heap."

The 509th SFS participated in weapons firing and tactical events at Fort Polk, La., Nov. 5-6 and following the events was a Mental and Physical challenge. The MAP Challenge consisted of eight phases, bounding overwatch, range determination, Humvee push, ammunition can stack, weapons assembly, a logic event, physical portion and a dead sprint to the finish line.

"I am very proud of them," said Chief Master Sgt. Lee Barr, 509th SFS chief enlisted manager. "Watching them during the competition, I could not see any weak links."

While team members agreed they felt they could have done better, they still believed they were the "best of the best."

"We trained for 30 days; we were together every day," said Staff Sgt. Kyle Douglass, 509th SFS competitor. "We trained on various skills, some of which helped and some that didn't. But our good team cohesion and good communication skills came in handy during the competition."

Lt. Gen. Jim Kowalski, Air Force Global Strike Command commander, will honor this year's "best of the best" winning teams at the conclusion of the second night of score posting Nov. 9.