Joint SFS team competes in Guardian Challenge

  • Published
  • By Corey Dahl
  • 21st Space Wing Public Affairs
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. --  A building full of weapons, a pair of mysterious snipers, a security forces team hot on their trail.

It's a scene that could play out anywhere in the world, at any time. On May 2, it was the scenario playing out at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado, where members of the 21st and 721st Security Forces Squadrons competed in a Military Operations on Urban Terrain exercise for Guardian Challenge.

The six-member team, made up of four competitors and two alternates, showed off their skills while pursuing two enemy gunmen through Jack's Valley training range to a building full of "weapons." All the while, evaluators followed the team, recording their tactics and reactions.

"Today is really about shooting, moving and communicating among a small team to achieve a goal," said Col. Scott Shepherd, 21st Space Wing vice commander, who was on hand to watch the action.

The trial's results will be used to determine the best security forces squadron in Air Force Space Command, and winners will be announced at the Guardian Challenge Awards Ceremony on Peterson May 9.

Win or lose, Airman 1st Class Stacy John, who competed in the challenge, said the effort was worth it. A member of the 721st SFS, she arrived at Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station in January and had yet to compete in anything like Guardian Challenge before.

The exercise, she said, taught her new skills and tactics that will come in handy in her day-to-day job and also in a deployment situation.

"If I deploy, I think it will help me a lot," she said. "I learned a lot of new things from the non-commissioned officers I was working with."

Working as a team was important for the competitors, who were randomly selected for the exercise. Some of the members had never met before the challenge, said Staff Sgt. Jordan Freeman, 21st SFS, but they didn't let that stand in the way.

"Most of us had never spoken face to face," Sergeant Freeman said. "But I was really impressed by the camaraderie. We really came together as a team."

Members of the 21st SW's Security Forces team for Guardian Challenge were Airman John, Sergeant Freeman, Staff Sgt. Brian Marshall and Tech Sgt. Cesar Ochoa. Alternates were Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Turner and Senior Airman Eric Frias.

 

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