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AFGSC concludes Strike Week events, celebrates Enlisted force, Striker Culture

  • Published
  • By Carla Pampe
  • Air Force Global Strike Command Public Affairs

Air Force Global Strike Command concluded its annual Strike Week May 13 at Barksdale Air Force Base.

This year’s Strike Week Theme was “Cultivating Lasting Culture, Fierce Competition and Peerless Power.”

“This week is all about developing leaders, recognizing outstanding achievement and honoring our heritage,” said Chief Master Sgt. Melvina Smith, AFGSC command chief. “Striker culture is unique, and events like Strike Week celebrate that culture and the amazing Airmen we have in this command.”

Chief Master Sgt. Joshua Wiener served as the lead organizer for Strike Week.

“Strike Week is aligned with the AFGSC Lines of Effort: People, Mission, Modernize and Engage,” Wiener said. “Our events centered on the people, but the agendas were created to develop both the Outstanding Airmen of the Year and Striker Stripe attendees’ knowledge in all four LOEs.”

Strike Week consisted of several events:

  • The Striker Stripe Symposium – a five-day professional development series for staff sergeants and technical sergeants hand-selected from across the Command
  • AFGSC Outstanding Airmen of the Year Medallion and Awards Ceremony –a three-day professional development series for AFGSC’s six Outstanding Airmen of the Year
  • A portrait unveiling for Gen. Timothy Ray, former AFGSC Commander
  • The Order of the Sword Ceremony - The Striker Enlisted force honored Ray for his outstanding support of both the command and the enlisted Airmen. The Order of the Sword is the highest honor the enlisted force can bestow upon an officer.
  • The Striker Titans – received their graduation certificate and a coin from the Command Chief, recognizing the completion of their yearlong nuclear and conventional weapon professional development program.

During the Striker Stripe Symposium, attendees had the opportunity to hear from Senior Enlisted leaders including Command Chief Master Sgt. Becker from Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, Command Chief Master Sgt. Steve Cenov from 8th Air Force, and Sergeant Major Howard Kreamer, Command Senior Enlisted Leader at U.S. Strategic Command.

“Recognizing hard work and developing Airmen is what Striker Culture is all about, and the planning teams that put these large events together were nothing short of awesome,” Wiener said. “Without them this week would not have been possible.”