Barksdale Profile: Challenge Pits Air Force Bases Against Each Other
By: Jenna Zibton
Updated: November 10, 2011
We've shown you bits and pieces of the Global Strike Challenge and Symposium throughout the week.
A three day competition kicked off the local portion and highlighted Air Force Security Teams.
The first two days were spent at Ft. Polk, firing weapons and doing tactical missions.
The last day is described by Global Strike Staff Operations Officer Major Eric Horst as "a little physical, a little bit mental and a whole lot of running".
It took Airman First Class Sean Hollearn and his five team members from Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, Texas mental and physical strength, endurance and heart to cross the finish line.
"It was tough. We didn't know what to expect with the whole thing. Just going from one event to the next, having to push yourself to the max" he says.
Nine Air Force teams from all over the country met for the Security Forces MAP Challenge.
"I have no idea what they're going to throw at us, but we're going to do our best and get thru it as quick as we can" says Assistant Operations Officer 2nd Lieutent Joshua Hight, part of the 2nd Security Forces at Barksdale Air Force Base.
But the challenge is much harder than it sounds or looks. They are racing the clock and other teams over a two mile course with multiple tests.
"We're going to be seeing some shoot, move and communicate, some tactics events, a couple logic events. We're going to be putting folks to the test. We're going to see physical events that are going to stress them out as much as possible" says Major Horst.These teams have been training together for weeks getting ready for the competition. It also helps them in their regular, day to day jobs".
"Our job is to respond to whatever happens. So sometimes we have a day where nothing happens and other days its hectic and all happens at once" says 2LT Hight."This is a unique competition of hand selected groups of folks to come out here. These are going to be our elite, our best guards that we have out here" says Major Horst.
