Security Forces team preps for Global Strike Challenge

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Cody Ramirez
  • 509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. --  The 509th Security Forces Squadron formed a team of their most qualified Airmen here to take part in the upcoming Global Strike Challenge in November.

"Security Forces is a very strenuous career field and our Airmen work hard and long hours, so it's nice to see them afforded the opportunity to show off their skills while representing Whiteman Air Force Base," said 1st Lt. Joseph Carpentieri, 509th SFS flight commander.

The competition will provide Team Whiteman with the opportunity to meet and talk with Air Force Global Strike Command senior leadership. It will also give competitors a chance to share knowledge and memories with each other while building camaraderie and morale within their major command, according to Lieutenant Carpentieri.

The team, made up of seven security forces members, was selected because of their PT scores, combat arms records and job performance. The team members are: Technical Sgt. Christopher Camara and Roy Chavez, Staff Sgt. Brandon Bendele, Senior Airman James Doan, and Airman 1st Class Joseph Robin and Richmond Chung.

"Our job performance is vital to protecting Whiteman's assets and this competition gives us a chance to show exactly how well we do that," said Sergeant Camara, team lead. "Hopefully we can use it to show that the 509th SFS is rock solid in what we know and how well we perform."

In preparation for the event, the team has been training in combat arms, physical fitness, land navigation, team-tactic film movement, ambush response, deployment from vehicles, Self-Aid Buddy Care, communication, combat reports and other security force foundations.

"We've incorporated running into everything we do ... anywhere from sprints to perimeter runs to runs with full gear including a gas mask," Sergeant Camara said. "We then test our shooting with exhaustion weighing down on us. It makes training more difficult once our blood starts flowing, our adrenaline pumping and our breathing becomes heavy ... it forces our team to focus on their fundamentals."

The team members seem to be enjoying the challenge of the training.
"The training has been great," said Airman Chung. "I can already see the improvement in my shooting. I think we have a good chance of winning with this team."

"Everyone is in shape and the team works well together," added Sergeant Chavez. "I'm confident in our team and we're ready to compete."

The security forces portion of the Global Strike Challenge will take place in the Shreveport-Bossier City area, near Barksdale Air Force Base. The 509th SFS will compete with as many as 400 Airmen from Global Strike, Air Combat Command and the Air Reserve Component.