341st MXG shines in annual Global Strike Challenge

by Airman 1st Class Katrina Heikkinen
341st Missile Wing Public Affairs

11/15/2012 - MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. -- Team Malmstrom welcomed home their Global Strike Challenge competitors and celebrated their victories during a ceremony at the Grizzly Bend Nov. 8, following the score posting at Barksdale Air Force Base, La.

Missileers, maintainers, security forces members and helicopter crews were among more than 400 Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen selected to compete in the 3rd annual GSC against Minot AFB, N.D., F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo., and Barksdale AFB., La. Other competitors were bomber aircrews, maintainers and defenders from Whiteman AFB., and Dyess AFB, Texas.

The 341st MW was awarded the Blackburn Trophy for best ICBM Maintenance Group; named the best ICBM Missile Communications Team; the Best ICBM Missile Handling Team; the Best ICBM Facilities Maintenance Section; and the 40th Helicopter Squadron was named the Best Tactical Response Force Crew.

"These guys [341st MXG] absolutely delivered and dominated the maintenance competition," said Col. H.B. Brual, 341st Missile Wing commander. "The Ops Group and security forces did extremely well too. They put their hearts into it and one of the things I told everyone from the very beginning was that it doesn't matter what the score is, it's the fact that you're out there competing and that's what this team did. I cannot be more proud of this team."

Although Minot took home the bulk of the awards, things the GSC always provides are lessons, training and a healthy competition for the Airmen serving in support of the nuclear deterrence mission.

"We had a great team this year," said 1st Lt. Lee Feldhausen, 341st Operations Support Squadron ICBM instructor combat crew commander. "Everyone represented Malmstrom Air Force Base well. They trained hard, did the best they could and next year the Blanchard Trophy is coming home to Malmstrom."

Awards were as follows:

• Fairchild Trophy for Best Bomb Wing: 509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo.
• Blanchard Trophy for Best ICBM Wing: 91st Missile Wing, Minot Air Force Base, N.D.
• LeMay Trophy (Best Bomb Squadron): 7th Operations Support Squadron, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas.
• Mitchell Trophy (Best Bomb): 49th Test and Evaluation Squadron, Barksdale Air Force Base, La.
• Linebacker Trophy (Best B-52 Squadron): 49th Test and Evaluation Squadron, Barksdale.
• Bartsch Trophy (Best electronic countermeasures): 23rd Bomb Squadron, Minot.
• Eaker Trophy (Best B-1 Squadron): 7th Operations Support Squadron, Dyess.
• Tibbets Trophy (Best B-2 Squadron): 110th Bomb Wing, Whiteman.
• Best Security Forces M4 Shooter: 509th Security Forces Squadron, Whiteman.
• Best Security Forces M9 Shooter: 91st Security Forces Group, Minot.
• Best Security Forces M203 Shooter: 90th Security Forces Group, F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo.
• Best Security Forces M240 Crew: 2nd Security Forces Squadron, Barksdale.
• Best Security Forces Firing Team: 90th Security Forces Group, F.E. Warren.
• Best Security Forces Tactics: 5th Security Forces Squadron, Minot.
• Best Security Forces Mental and Physical Challenge: 91st Security Forces Group, Minot.
• Charlie Fire Team (Best Security Forces Group): 91st Security Forces Group, Minot.
• Best Bomber Nuclear Load Team: 5th Bomb Wing, Minot.
• Best Bomber Conventional Load Team: 2nd Bomb Wing, Barksdale.
• Best Bomber Crew Chief Team: 5th Bomb Wing, Minot.
• Best Bomber Nuclear Crew Chief Team: 5th Bomb Wing, Minot.
• Best Bomber Conventional Munitions Maintenance Team: 2nd Bomb Wing, Barksdale
• Best Bomber Nuclear Munitions Maintenance Team: 509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman.
• Ellis Giant Sword (Best Bomber Maintenance Group): 509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman.
• Best Helicopter Search and Rescue Crew: 37th Helicopter Squadron, F.E. Warren.
• Best Helicopter TRF Response Crew: 40th Helicopter Squadron, Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont.
• Best Helicopter Tactical Crew: 54th Helicopter Squadron, Minot.
• Best ICBM Missile Communications Team: 341st Missile Wing, Malmstrom.
• Best ICBM Missile Handling Team: 341st Missile Wing, Malmstrom.
• Best ICBM Facilities Maintenance Section: 341st Missile Wing, Malmstrom.
• Best ICBM Electro Mechanical Team: 91st Missile Wing, Minot.
• Best ICBM Munitions Team: 91st Missile Wing, Minot.
• Blackburn Trophy (Best ICBM Maintenance Group): 341st Missile Wing, Malmstrom.
• Klotz Trophy (Best ICBM Operations): 90th Missile Wing, F.E. Warren.
• Linhard Trophy (Best ICBM Ops Crew): 320th Missile Squadron, F.E. Warren.
• McMahon Trophy (Best Weapons System): 320th Missile Squadron, F.E. Warren.
• Neary Trophy (Best EWO Crew): 320th Missile Squadron, F.E. Warren.