AMC shines in Defender Challenge 2000
LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (USTCNS) --- A week testing the security forces "best of the best" in physical fitness, combat weapons expertise and mental toughness came to close Nov. 4 as the 19th Annual Defender Challenge Competition wrapped up.
The defenders from Air Mobility Command won three gold medals in the event, becoming the only command to win more than one gold medal. Other units to win a gold medal was the 11th Wing, Air National Guard and Air Force Special Operations Command.
More than 120 security forces competitors from 12 Air Force major commands worldwide and the British Royal Air Force Regiment participated in this year's challenge.
Events included a fitness challenge, a handgun event, a base response exercise, a combat rifle exercise, a combat weapon's exercise, the Sadler's Cup event and Chief's Challenge.
AMC won the handgun event where competitors used a 9mm pistol to shoot down targets. ACC finished second and AFSOC took third.
"This feels so good," said Staff Sgt. Tim Arnold, an AMC Defender Challenge team member from the 375th Security Forces Squadron at Scott AFB, Ill. "Our trainer pushed us hard for 45 days and it paid off. This was a great team effort."
"I think our showing here starts off the new millennium right for Air Mobility Command," said Capt. Roy Collins, AMC Defender Challenge team captain from the 92nd SFS at Fairchild AFB, Wash. "We came out to show there is none better. Our team gave a great representation of AMC."
The defenders from AFMC won gold and captured the Captain Cletus Cheng Memorial Award for winning the fitness challenge event, running the 1.1-mile course punctuated with 21 obstacles in 11:09. Air Force Space Command finished second and Air Combat Command finishing third.
"I am really ecstatic about how our team did," said Capt. John Fitzhugh, team captain from AFMC Security Forces Headquarters at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. "We had nine competitors who gave their all and I'm very proud of their efforts."
This year's new event, the base response exercise, which tested the defender's expertise in base defense and traditional policing skills, was captured by the competitors from the 11th Wing, Bolling AFB, D.C. ACC finished second with AFMC finishing third.
"We are a pretty small group of folks in the 11th Wing and they all work as hard as theses guys did this week," said Col. Jim Hunt, 11th Wing commander. "I must say I am really proud of them."
The combat weapons event, which is a Defender Challenge combined fire team field exercise consists of an M-16 rifleman, an M-60 machine gun team and an M-203 grenadier, was won by AMC. Air Education and Training Command and ACC finished second and third, respectively.
Other gold medals handed out as a result of the combat weapons event, was the combat rifle event winner AFSOC followed by AFSPC and United States Air Forces in Europe. The best grenade launcher was the Air National Guard, followed by AETC and RAFR.
Machine gun accuracy was won by AMC followed by AETC and PACAF. AMC also won the Coleman's Cup for marksmanship as a result of its overall shooting at Defender Challenge.
"We trained very, very hard for Defender Challenge this year and it paid off in gold," said Senior Master Sgt. Mark Penland, AMC Defender Challenge team trainer from the 6th SFS at MacDill AFB, Fla. "Everyone in AMC should be really proud of the performance of this group of guys."
The crown jewels of the Defender Challenge Competition is the Sadler's Cup, which is a nighttime tactical exercise, and the Chief's Challenge, which is a grueling obstacle course.
Chief's Challenge is the only event in which just one individual from each command competes.
The Sadler's Cup event was won by 11th Wing followed by ACC and RAFR.
"This is the best feeling since I got married and saw my kids for the first time," said Staff Sgt. Charles Sorge, 11th Wing Defender Challenge team member from the 11th Wing SFS, Det. 1 at the Pentagon. "I have to give all praises to God for watching over all the competitors, because no one got hurt this year. And I have to give a special thanks to all of our families because without their sacrifices and understanding there is no way we could compete in these competitions or go on deployments and be successful."
The Chief's Challenge, was won by Senior Airman Pat Spencer, from AFMC, followed by Staff Sgt. Guy Dashnea, ACC, and Airman 1st Class Christopher Enfinger, AETC.
"This event was a real struggle to win," Spencer said, who is a member of the 95th SFS at Edwards AFB, Calif. "This may be an individual effort, but my teammates pushed me all the way. I was proud to represent them and AFMC. It feels good to win."
Other awards given out were the noncommissioned officer's chief's award for outstanding esprit de corps, which was won by the 11th wing. The Air Force Sergeant's Association Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Award for most outstanding enlisted participant at Defender Challenge 2000 was won by Staff Sgt. Gabriel Zorrero, AFRC DC team member. Capt. Steve Sugiyana, 11th Wing, won the Commandant General's Award for outstanding officer at Defender Challenge 2000.
"We trained hard and our team showed great unity," Sugiyana said. "I could not have accomplished anything without my team behind me."
"I appreciate the fantastic effort put fort by all of the competitors," said Brig. Gen. James Shamess, Air Force director of security forces and Air Force Security Forces Center commander at Lackland AFB. "Your hard work and dedication made this one of the best Defender Challenge's ever. The efforts you put forth this week showed the level of excellence and training that the member of security forces have and have shown throughout the world." (FROM AIR MOBILITY COMMAND - ENROUTE NEWS).
The defenders from Air Mobility Command won three gold medals in the event, becoming the only command to win more than one gold medal. Other units to win a gold medal was the 11th Wing, Air National Guard and Air Force Special Operations Command.
More than 120 security forces competitors from 12 Air Force major commands worldwide and the British Royal Air Force Regiment participated in this year's challenge.
Events included a fitness challenge, a handgun event, a base response exercise, a combat rifle exercise, a combat weapon's exercise, the Sadler's Cup event and Chief's Challenge.
AMC won the handgun event where competitors used a 9mm pistol to shoot down targets. ACC finished second and AFSOC took third.
"This feels so good," said Staff Sgt. Tim Arnold, an AMC Defender Challenge team member from the 375th Security Forces Squadron at Scott AFB, Ill. "Our trainer pushed us hard for 45 days and it paid off. This was a great team effort."
"I think our showing here starts off the new millennium right for Air Mobility Command," said Capt. Roy Collins, AMC Defender Challenge team captain from the 92nd SFS at Fairchild AFB, Wash. "We came out to show there is none better. Our team gave a great representation of AMC."
The defenders from AFMC won gold and captured the Captain Cletus Cheng Memorial Award for winning the fitness challenge event, running the 1.1-mile course punctuated with 21 obstacles in 11:09. Air Force Space Command finished second and Air Combat Command finishing third.
"I am really ecstatic about how our team did," said Capt. John Fitzhugh, team captain from AFMC Security Forces Headquarters at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. "We had nine competitors who gave their all and I'm very proud of their efforts."
This year's new event, the base response exercise, which tested the defender's expertise in base defense and traditional policing skills, was captured by the competitors from the 11th Wing, Bolling AFB, D.C. ACC finished second with AFMC finishing third.
"We are a pretty small group of folks in the 11th Wing and they all work as hard as theses guys did this week," said Col. Jim Hunt, 11th Wing commander. "I must say I am really proud of them."
The combat weapons event, which is a Defender Challenge combined fire team field exercise consists of an M-16 rifleman, an M-60 machine gun team and an M-203 grenadier, was won by AMC. Air Education and Training Command and ACC finished second and third, respectively.
Other gold medals handed out as a result of the combat weapons event, was the combat rifle event winner AFSOC followed by AFSPC and United States Air Forces in Europe. The best grenade launcher was the Air National Guard, followed by AETC and RAFR.
Machine gun accuracy was won by AMC followed by AETC and PACAF. AMC also won the Coleman's Cup for marksmanship as a result of its overall shooting at Defender Challenge.
"We trained very, very hard for Defender Challenge this year and it paid off in gold," said Senior Master Sgt. Mark Penland, AMC Defender Challenge team trainer from the 6th SFS at MacDill AFB, Fla. "Everyone in AMC should be really proud of the performance of this group of guys."
The crown jewels of the Defender Challenge Competition is the Sadler's Cup, which is a nighttime tactical exercise, and the Chief's Challenge, which is a grueling obstacle course.
Chief's Challenge is the only event in which just one individual from each command competes.
The Sadler's Cup event was won by 11th Wing followed by ACC and RAFR.
"This is the best feeling since I got married and saw my kids for the first time," said Staff Sgt. Charles Sorge, 11th Wing Defender Challenge team member from the 11th Wing SFS, Det. 1 at the Pentagon. "I have to give all praises to God for watching over all the competitors, because no one got hurt this year. And I have to give a special thanks to all of our families because without their sacrifices and understanding there is no way we could compete in these competitions or go on deployments and be successful."
The Chief's Challenge, was won by Senior Airman Pat Spencer, from AFMC, followed by Staff Sgt. Guy Dashnea, ACC, and Airman 1st Class Christopher Enfinger, AETC.
"This event was a real struggle to win," Spencer said, who is a member of the 95th SFS at Edwards AFB, Calif. "This may be an individual effort, but my teammates pushed me all the way. I was proud to represent them and AFMC. It feels good to win."
Other awards given out were the noncommissioned officer's chief's award for outstanding esprit de corps, which was won by the 11th wing. The Air Force Sergeant's Association Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Award for most outstanding enlisted participant at Defender Challenge 2000 was won by Staff Sgt. Gabriel Zorrero, AFRC DC team member. Capt. Steve Sugiyana, 11th Wing, won the Commandant General's Award for outstanding officer at Defender Challenge 2000.
"We trained hard and our team showed great unity," Sugiyana said. "I could not have accomplished anything without my team behind me."
"I appreciate the fantastic effort put fort by all of the competitors," said Brig. Gen. James Shamess, Air Force director of security forces and Air Force Security Forces Center commander at Lackland AFB. "Your hard work and dedication made this one of the best Defender Challenge's ever. The efforts you put forth this week showed the level of excellence and training that the member of security forces have and have shown throughout the world." (FROM AIR MOBILITY COMMAND - ENROUTE NEWS).
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