Global Strike Challenge '21 announces 'Best of the Best'

  • Published
  • By Air Force Global Strike Command Public Affairs

Air Force Global Strike Command announced the winners of Global Strike Challenge 2021 at the multi-month competition’s capstone event Dec. 8, here.

Global Strike Challenge is the world's premier bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile operations and maintenance, helicopter operations and security forces competition with units from Air Force Global Strike Command, Air Combat Command, Air Force Reserve Command and the Air National Guard participating.  

The theme of this year’s Global Strike Challenge was Strikers are One… Resilient, Credible, and Lethal Team.

“Because Strikers are a team of teams, we’re all dependent on one another to succeed,” said Gen. Anthony Cotton, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command. “This teamwork is critically important because, as we all know, the world has changed—we are now in an era of strategic competition.”

The top honors of the night included:

Fairchild Trophy – Best Bomb Wing

7th Bomb Wing at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas

Blanchard Trophy – Best ICBM Wing

341st Missile Wing at Malmstrom AFB, Montana

Other top honors included:

Bourland Trophy – Best Helicopter Squadron

40th Helicopter Squadron, Malmstrom AFB, Montana

Charlie Fire Team Trophy – Best Security Forces

341st Missile Wing, Malmstrom AFB, Montana

Ellis Giant Sword Trophy – Best bomber maintenance

7th Bomb Wing, Dyess AFB, Texas

“We asked our Striker Airmen—this includes officers, enlisted and civilians—to compete using some of our most modern tools, technologies and tactics,” said Cotton. “They proved once again that they know how to overcome the toughest challenges in ways that demonstrate our credibility and lethality to our nation, our allies and to the world.”

The 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, won the Doolittle Trophy for innovation excellence. This trophy recognizes the innovation efforts of the base and their dedication to staying competitive in the 21st century.

“The vision behind Global Strike Challenge 2021 emphasized resilient, credible and lethal Airmen who dominate the battlespace utilizing modern tools, modern technologies and modern tactics,” said Lt. Col. Robert Fore, lead Global Strike Challenge coordinator.

“This competition is a testament at just how excellent all of our Global Strike Airmen really are,” Fore said.  

The 509th Bomb Squadron from Whiteman AFB, Missouri won the Spirit Bell Trophy for the best team spirit.

The Shreveport-Bossier community presented the Barksdale Trophy to the 7th Bomb Wing and their community partners. The Barksdale Trophy is awarded to the community that goes above and beyond to support Airmen and families at an Air Force Global Strike Command wing.

“Our Strikers showed up and showed out for this year’s Global Strike Challenge,” said Cotton. “Our Strikers are elite professionals, and I’m incredibly proud of how they have represented our command, our nation, and our profession.” 

Participants in the 2021 Global Strike Challenge included AFGSC’s nine wings plus units from Air Combat Command, Air Force Reserve Command and the Air National Guard.
 

GLOBAL STRIKE CHALLENGE 2021

Category

Winner

Fairchild Trophy for Best Bomb Wing

7th Bomb Wing, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas

Blanchard Trophy for Best ICBM Wing

341st Missile Wing, Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana

Klotz (Best ICBM and Helicopter Operations)

90th Missile Wing, F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming

Security Forces

Charlie Fire Team Trophy

341st Missile Wing, Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana

Best Security Forces Mental and Physical (MAP) Challenge Trophy

341st Missile Wing, Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana

Best Security Forces Marksmanship Trophy

219th Security Forces Squadron, Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota  

Best Security Forces Tactics Trophy

377th Air Base Wing, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico

Best M4 Shooter

SMSgt Shawn Wegner, 219th Security Forces Squadron, Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota

Best M18 Shooter

A1C Lee Laudolff, 341st Missile Wing, Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana

Best M249 Shooter

TSgt Lance Bollenberg, 28th Bomb Wing, Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota

Best M320 Shooter

A1C Thaddeus Moore, 219th Security Forces Squadron, Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota

ICBM Trophies

Operations

Linhard Trophy (Best ICBM Ops Crew)

12th Missile Squadron, Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana

Neary (best EWO Crew)

12th Missile Squadron, F.E. Warren AFB, Wyoming  

McMahon (Best Weapons System Crew)

490th Missile Squadron, Malmstrom AFB, Montana

Maintenance

Blackburn

91st Missile Wing, Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota

Best ICBM Missile Maintenance Team

341st Missile Wing, Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana

Best ICBM E-LAB Team

91st Missile Wing, Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota

Best ICBM PREL Team

91st Missile Wing, Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota

Best ICBM MAPS Team

90th Missile Wing, F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming

Best ICBM Nuclear Weapons Maintenance Team

90th Missile Wing, F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming  

Helicopter Trophies

Bourland (Best Helicopter Squadron)

40th Helicopter Squadron, Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana  

Best Convoy and Aerial Interdiction

40th Helicopter Squadron, Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana  

Best Launch Facility Recapture and Threat Detection

40th Helicopter Squadron, Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana

Best Fires Observer

SrA Aaron Laudieri, 54th Helicopter Squadron, Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota

Bomber Trophies

Operations

LeMay (Best Bomb Squadron)

509th Operations Support Squadron, Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri 

Mitchell (Best Bomb)

28th Bomb Squadron, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas

Linebacker (B-52 Squadron)

93rd  Bomb Squadron, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana

Eaker (Best B-1 Squadron)

28th Bomb Squadron, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas

Tibbets (Best B-2 Squadron)

509th Operations Support Squadron, Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri  

Bartsch (Best Electronic Countermeasures)

11th Bomb Squadron, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana

Maintenance

Ellis Giant Sword (Best Bomber Maintenance)

7th Bomb Wing, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas

Best Conventional Munitions Maintenance Team

5th Bomb Wing, Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota

Best Conventional Weapons Load Team

2nd Bomb Wing, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana

Best Conventional Aircraft Crew Chief Team

5th Bomb Wing, Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota

Best Nuclear Bomber Weapons Maintenance Team

2nd Bomb Wing, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana

Best Nuclear Aircraft Crew Chief Team

509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri  

Best Nuclear Weapons Load Team

509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri 

Other Awards

Doolittle Trophy for Innovation Excellence

2nd Bomb Wing, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana

Barksdale Trophy (awarded to the best community support for an AFGSC base)

7th Bomb Wing and Community Partners, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas  

Spirit Bell (awarded to the team who best represents Global Strike Challenge teamwork and esprit de corps)

509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri