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Maintenance competition dubbed 'top notch'

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jessica McConnell
  • Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs
MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  Top performing Airmen from the 5th Bomb Wing's Maintenance Group competed here Aug. 16 and 17 in a weapons building and loading competition, which was scored and will be used as part of Air Force Global Strike Command's Global Strike Challenge.

Staff Sgt. Derrick Holman, 5th Munitions Squadron conventional maintenance crew chief and inspector, said the ammunition builder's team had been practicing for the last two months.

"We broke down the different parts of the competition and practiced each one individually to the best of our ability," said Holman. "Usually, Fridays were study days to go over the specialty knowledge test portion of the competition. Due to the flooding in Minot, two individuals of the team lost their homes and had some obstacles to overcome with balancing time between practice and home repair."

The kick-off event began with a team introduction at 8 a.m. The sequence of events included a dress and appearance inspection, general knowledge testing, aircraft pre-flight evaluation, ammunition bomb building, and conventional weapons loading.

"I think our team performed very well," said Holman. "It was very apparent they had worked hard at this and I'm sure the inspectors were very impressed. The munitions assembly conveyor was up and operational in 25 minutes, which was our best time to date and all our bombs were built for the maximum amount of points. I couldn't be happier with our team."

The 5th MUNS concluded the first day with a handling skills rodeo. The rodeo tested the Airmens' ability to handle a 40-foot tractor trailer, as well as their forklift handling skills.

Holman said the hardest part of the competition was balancing the team's day to day responsibilities with the Global Strike Challenge schedule.

"Even while the team practiced for the challenge, they were able to maintain their assigned additional programs to a high standard," he said. "There were 11 members on our team, but usually due to training and appointments we were practicing a man or two short. The flood was another huge factor, but we worked hard to overcome it. There were many days the team worked longer hours than most but due to their dedication and determination to represent well, you would have never known it."

The sergeant said the best part of the competition was seeing the Airmen finally getting to perform what they had practiced for so long.

Holman continued, "To see everybody work so well as a team made it not only special for me to watch, but special for them to participate in as well."

The weapons competition concluded with a conventional and nuclear loading event.

"These teams put in a lot of hard work and dedication to make the bomber maintenance portion of the challenge a success," said Master Sgt. Jeffrey Grenfell, 5th Maintenance Squadron assistant fabrication flight chief. "Every team member selected for the challenge was top notch! They displayed nothing but professionalism from the start. I feel the 5th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and the 5th MUNS performed extremely well. I heard nothing but positive comments by inspectors and spectators throughout the two-day competition."

This is the second annual Global Strike Challenge to be held since Air Force Global Strike Command was activated in August 2009. Scores from this competition will be posted and a winner announced in November, during a ceremony at Barksdale AFB, La.