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Global Strike Challenge: Meet the Malmstrom Ops Group team

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Katrina Heikkinen
  • 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  The second phase of the Global Strike Challenge is set to kick off Sept. 13 as members of the 341st Operations Group prepare for the challenge in hopes of bringing home the Blanchard Trophy to Malmstrom Air Force base later this year. Teams from the 10th Missile Squadron, 12th MS and 490th MS will be representing the 341st Missile Wing in Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Operations.

New this year is the addition of the 40th Helicopter Squadron to the OG portion of the competition.

40th Helicopter Squadron
Chosen to represent the 40th HS in the Global Strike challenge are Capts. Leo Gracik and Michael Scott, UH-1N pilots, and Staff Sgt. Michael Frank, UH-1N, flight engineer.

The helo team is competing in the Global Strike Challenge for the first time, and although most of their training is classified, there's one thing all members of the team are proud to announce- what they look forward to the most out of the competition.

"The one thing we're excited for is bringing hardware back to 'Blanchard Country,'" Gracik, Scott and Frank said in unison.

ICBM Trainers
The trainers for the ICBM operations teams are Capt. Adam Sears, ICBM combat flight commander and 1st Lt. Brian Marlow, ICBM deputy combat crew commander, both with the 490th MS.

"We're basing a lot of what we're doing on last year's challenge," Marlow said. "In August, we trained at night and in September, we are training in the morning. Anytime we can find- we're working on perfecting every single checklist required. Each crew is doing a 2-hour simulated ride; from there we do classroom training."

The instructors have decided to integrate a different strategy this year- individualized training.

"We're focusing our training (as instructors) on specific crews and what they need help with," Marlow said.

10th Missile Squadron
Representing the 10th MS are Capt. Megan Steele, missile combat crew commander and 2nd Lt. Brianne Seymour, ICBM deputy combat crew commander.

A previous competitor in the Challenge, Steele's experience in the GSC is sure to help teammate, Seymour.

"Individually, I am studying with my crew partner (Seymour) and working on areas that need improvement," Steele said. "As a team, we are taking rides in the missile procedures trainer almost every day and critiquing each other on areas to improve on before the next ride."

Both plan on attending the score posting and they anticipate the competition itself.

"I look forward most to the competition ride in September, then score posting would be next and then taking home the Blanchard," Steele said.

12th Missile Squadron
Selected to represent the 12th MS are 1st Lts. Adam Hamlin, ICBM combat crew commander and Zachary Kushner, ICBM deputy combat crew member.

Individually, they have focused much of their time on self-studying. However, now that the competition is just days away, the primary training involves riding in the missile procedures trainer.

"The great majority of the training involves taking MPT rides as a crew," Hamlin said. We have to balance GSC training and whatever else we need to work on with four to five alert actions per month. In any case, we'll do what it takes to be ready come competition time."

The duo looks extremely forward to the challenge and especially hopes to take some hardware home after score posting at Barksdale Air Force Base.

"I'm looking forward to doing something different for a while," Kushner said. "I enjoy new challenges and this is definitely one."

"I'm excited for the score posting at Barksdale," Hamlin said. "Last year was a good time, despite the fact that we ended up being unsuccessful in the ops portion of the competition. This time around though, leaving with some hardware would make it great."

490th Missile Squadron
Representing the 490th MS in the Challenge are ICBM combat crew commanders 1st Lts. Matthew Ditson and John Malek.

As a crew, the duo is focusing their time on studying technical orders and practicing any possible scenarios.

"There is a lot of self-study that goes into being individually prepared for the ride as a well as studying with my crew partner so we can learn each other's strengths and weaknesses," Ditson said. "We also have group sessions so there is constant talk between all members of the ops team."

Malek echoes Ditson's emphasis on working together with the whole ops team.

"The entire ops team is helping out by assisting with the training rides in the MPT," Malek said. "My partner (Ditson) and I also quiz each other and try to help each other improve."

Chosen as alternates are Capt. Jordan Tabayoyon, ICBM combat crew commander with the 10th MS, and 1st Lt. Daniel Hejde, deputy combat crew commander with the 341st Operations Support Squadron. Together, they have played a large role in aiding the crews that make up ops.

"Besides the usual memorization, I try to challenge my mind and think outside the box," Tabayoyon said. "I think up unusual scenarios, and then write training scripts based on those scenarios. These scripts become the basis for training rides and discussions for the whole ops team."

The positive, not competitive, support from the alternate crew is sure to help the OPS team in the challenge.

"I am looking forward to seeing the primary crews perform to the best of their abilities," Hejde said. "I know they won't let us down, but if needed I hope I can do just as well!"

The meticulous training involved for the operators is sure to help them in the upcoming competition slated for Sept. 13. The trainers bring fresh ideas and new strategies -and for one trainer, a positive attitude goes a long way.

"The competitors will tell you they look forward to bringing the trophy back to its rightful home," Sears said. "I won't lie, that's a big motivation for me too; however, I'm looking forward more to finding innovations and changes in procedures that are really going to benefit the crew force as a whole."