Meet the 90th OG Global Strike Challenge team

Published Sept. 19, 2014
By Senior Airman Jason Wiese
90th Missile Wing Public Affairs

F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. -- Nowhere is the mission of Air Force Global Strike Command more apparent than deep underground in launch control centers. This year, the denizens of the LCCs, missileers, will be competing in the 2014 Global Strike Challenge to see which operations group in 20th Air Force is the best.

"It's our version of Top Gun," said 1st Lt. Cory Elder, GSC competitor from the 321st Missile Squadron.

The competition's culmination puts the crews of two operators from each team on a final evaluation ride (a simulation of a potential real-world scenario in an LCC) from 20th AF, he said.

"That simulates the worst day you can ever have in the missile field," he said. "It's more or less a real version of war games."

Preparing for such an undertaking is no small feat, according to 1st Lt. Carli Frasier, GSC competitor from the 321st MS.

"It's a different lifestyle for a couple of months. We're devoting all our time and energy and our thought processes to thinking about how we can do better."

Their preparations involve a lot of studying as well as other training. Missileers tend to have a similar desire to study and delve into the technical aspects of their job, she said.

"In some ways, I think I've been preparing for GSC my whole life," she said.

Crews training for GSC have help in the form of their teams' trainers.

"What my role is to do is to test the mental limits of our crews, to ensure that they're getting the best training possible, to make sure that they're ready for any scenario, any situation, to go out and fight the war if necessary," said 1st Lt. Daniel Uresti, GSC trainer from the 320th MS. "With GSC, we're given lots of scenarios that hopefully would never happen on a day-to-day basis, but we are training our crews to be prepared for anything, to accomplish the mission at all costs."

GSC's importance goes beyond just fostering competitive spirit, Elder said.

"GSC is not just an opportunity for us to show the best of what we have here," he said. "It's a chance to show that to our leadership up and down that no matter what happens, we have people here who are on top of it, on top of the weapon system, on top of their procedures.

"It's a chance to show everyone outside the MAJCOM that we are trustworthy and that we are on top of our game. That goes beyond the borders of the United States as well, to signal to everyone that we're ready for you."

However, the competive spirit is still there.

"I'd like to confidently say that the 90th Missile Wing is going to bring it home," Frasier said.

Uresti offered similar sentiments to his competition: "When [the president] calls and congratulates us, we'll be thinking of you guys."

Team members

319th MS

Capt. Daniel Cook
1st Lt. Kyle Buckmiller
2nd Lt. Amber Moore

320th MS

1st Lt. Alexander Foos
1st Lt. Ellen Mazzarella
1st Lt. Erik Sangiorgi

321st MS

1st Lt. Cory Elder
1st Lt. Carli Frasier
2nd Lt. Lindsey Byrd
2nd Lt. Nicholas Vaughn