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Defenders face brutal undertaking in Crow Creek Challenge

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jason Wiese
  • 90th Missile Wing Public Affairs
F. E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. --  The 90th Security Forces Group held the 19th annual Crow Creek Challenge Aug. 10 in the fields near Building 1591.

Security forces Airmen gathered to compete in the challenge, which consisted of a series of tasks pertinent to their career field. Four-person fire teams from various 90th SFG units performed tasks worth a maximum of 25 points each, said Master Sgt. Curtis Dawson, 90th SFG facility manager.

Participants competed for several titles: top-scoring fire team, most "Team Pain" repetitions, top gun, best fire team leader, best fire team member, and top-scoring squadron.

The top-scoring fire team is the team whose combined score is highest, and the top-scoring squadron is the squadron whose competing units' average score is the highest. The top-scoring squadron takes home the coveted Travelling Trophy, Dawson explained.

Of the many tasks the competitors faced, one called "Team Pain" is notoriously difficult. The task consists of completing five four-person pushups, flipping an approximately 350-pound tractor tire end-over-end for a certain distance, and performing a fireman's carry over a certain distance. Doing all of this counts as one repetition. Teams then repeat the tasks to get the highest number of repetitions possible in 15 minutes, Dawson said.

Because of its high difficulty, the team who completes the most repetitions in "Team Pain" is honored with the top "Team Pain" title, he added.

In addition to these titles, individual Airmen competed for three titles: top gun, the top-scoring Airman in the firing range task; best fire team leader, the fire team leader who exhibited the best leadership qualities; and the best fire team member, the Airman who showed the highest level of skill and leadership in a following role, Dawson said.

"It gives our guys an opportunity to come out and prove who is best," Dawson said. "We're fostering espirit de corps and teamwork."

Dawson coordinated the challenge, a Top 3 event, funded by money Airmen received volunteering during Cheyenne Frontier Days, he said.

"Working as a team is always a boost for morale," added Senior Airman Alex Jantas, 90th Missile Security Forces Squadron. "It helps us keep going when the events keep getting tougher."

Although tiring, the challenge was fun and informative; completing its objectives required the use of knowledge important to the security forces career field, which Airmen do not often get a chance to review in the field, Jantas said.


A cadre of mostly senior noncommissioned officers oversaw the challenge and scored each team, said Tech. Sgt. Derek Grant, 90th SFG Tactical Response Force training and resources noncommissioned officer-in-charge and cadre member.

"As the cadre, our role is to make sure everything is conducted fairly and offer these guys a challenge," he said. "My favorite thing I saw was the teamwork and enthusiasm of the competitors."

Winners of the Crow Creek Challenge
Top-scoring fire team 90th Security Forces Group Tactical Response Force Team 1
Top-scoring squadron 90th Missile Security Forces Squadron
Most team pain repetitions 90th Security Forces Group Tactical Response Force Team 1
Top gun Airman Brett Oster, 90th Missile Security Forces Squadron
Best fire team leader Staff Sgt. Justin Macedonio, 90th Missile Security Forces Squadron
Best fire team member Airman 1st Class Darren Harold-Golden, 790th Missile Security Forces Squadron