F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. -- Air Force Global Strike Command announced the winners of Global Strike Challenge 2021 at the multi-month competition’s capstone event Dec. 8, 2021. 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 Mighty Ninety was recognized for having the Best Munitions Squadron Team, Best Mechanical and Pneudraulics Section and the Best Operations Team responsible for bringing home the Klotz Trophy.
“We asked our Striker Airmen—this includes officers, enlisted and civilians—to compete using some of our most modern tools, technologies and tactics,” said Gen. Anthony Cotton, commander of AFGSC. “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.”
Teamwork is one of the tools used by winning units of the 90th Missile Wing to demonstrate credibility and lethality while participating in this year’s GSC and while conducting real-world operations.
“It took everyone in the Mighty 90 Munitions Squadron to ensure that our personnel were ready for the competition,” said Maj. Kevin Shannon, 90 MUNS commander. “It wasn’t just the senior noncommissioned officers or the noncommissioned officers who brought the trophy home; many of our younger Airmen also helped the team get ready. The 90 MUNS Family did an amazing job getting the team that represented us ready for the competition.”
The performance displayed by 90 MUNS is indicative of their mission readiness and lethality at any given time.
“Our team is ready to accomplish our mission every day,” said Shannon. “Our Airmen get a lot of practice that keeps us ready. Nuclear maintenance is extremely important and has political consequences if we fail. The nuclear weapons we maintain are used every day in our country’s deterrence mission.”
MAPS performance during this year’s GSC did not exceed their typical performance while maintaining components of the nuclear enterprise.
“The competition was a morale boost and some good fun, but at the end of the day, the way we performed during the challenge was no different than how we would perform day-to-day operations,” said Staff Sgt. Chad Pence, MAPS team chief. “Regarding the nuclear mission, it’s safe to say that here at 90 MW, we run a tight ship and everything we service and repair is going back to the field with just as much attention to detail given to it as we gave during the competition.”
The team takes pride in the work they produce on a daily basis and appreciates their recognition during this year’s GSC.
“It is a huge honor to be recognized as Best MAPS Team, not only for the competing team, but for MAPS as a whole,” said Pence. “We spend countless hours working on these items day in and day out, and to find out that we are the best in AFGSC is the best reward we could ask for.”
The 90th Operations Group earned the Klotz Ttrophy, an award given to the missile wing determined to have the best ICBM and helicopter operations teams. The 37th Helicopter Squadron assisted 90 MW with achieving the Klotz Trophy by proficiently providing an aerial component of nuclear security operations.
“The Klotz Trophy highlights what an honor it is to be a mission partner to the 90th Missile Wing,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Karins, 37 HS commander. “We see how hard the wing works and the level of professionalism they bring every day to the nuclear enterprise, and we strive likewise to be a worthy teammate.”
The Klotz Trophy was named after Lt. Gen. Frank Klotz, the first commander of AFGSC, and was first awarded in 2010.
“I’m incredibly proud of my team for winning the Klotz Trophy for several reasons,” said Col. Tytonia Moore, 90th Operations Group commander. “It is truly a team trophy that represents all of the hard work put in by the missile squadron competitors, trainers, and everyone who supported them across 90 OG.”
Moore expresses his appreciation of 37 HS for helping achieve the Klotz award.
“I have to acknowledge the contribution of our mission partners in 37 HS,” said Moore. “Everyone that helped prepare the competitors for GSC should feel equally proud. Their time and sacrifice to help prepare and train each competitor for their evaluations were crucial to their performance. This win would not have been possible without them.”
Cotton expresses the pride he holds to all of the missile wings that participated in GSC 21 and work around the clock to ensure the nuclear mission is executed without fail..
“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.”