MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- Senior Airman Adam Gonzalez, 5th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron load crew member, ensures the weapon is being placed properly during a weapons load competition here, July 3. As with most team-driven competitions, it was imperative that crews worked together in order to achieve the fastest time and outscore their opponents. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brittany Y. Auld)
MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- Staff Sgt. John McFarland and Senior Airman Adam Gonzalez, 5th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron load crew members, ensure the weapon is placed correctly on the MJ-1 Jammer during a weapons load competition here July 3. As with most team-driven competitions, it was imperative that crews worked together in order to achieve the fastest time and outscore their opponents. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brittany Y. Auld))
MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- Staff Sgt. John McFarland and Senior Airman Adam Gonzalez, 5th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron load crew members, ensure the weapon is placed correctly on the MJ-1 Jammer during a weapons load competition here July 3. As with most team-driven competitions, it was imperative that crews worked together in order to achieve the fastest time and outscore their opponents. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brittany Y. Auld))
MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- Senior Airman Adam Gonzalez, 5th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron load crew member, performs a bomb rack preparation on a B-52H Stratofortess during a weapons load competition here July 3. Load competitions are used to build unit morale and cohesiveness. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brittany Y. Auld)
by Senior Airman Brittany Y. Auld
5th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
7/18/2012 - MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- The 5th Bomb Wing kicked off Fourth of July festivities with a weapons load competition here July 3.
There were four crews consisting of four-man teams competing for bragging rights as the fastest load crew. The first competition was a crew of colonels versus a crew of lieutenants. The second competition between Crew 13 and Crew 21 decided who would represent the 5th BW at this year's Global Strike Challenge.
Each team was given 40 minutes to load during the competition. However, the average time for a weapons load is 30 minutes.
"Loading starts with aircraft preparation - all applicable stations are prepared for weapons," said Tech. Sgt. Brenton Sampson, 5th Maintenance Group loading standardization team chief. "The next process is munitions preparation. This is where the munitions are safe and looked over for serviceability. After they're safe and serviceable, the weapons are loaded to complete the load."
Weapon loading competitions are held quarterly, but this is the first time an event such as "colonels versus lieutenants" has happened.
"I'd rather be loading weapons than sitting behind a desk," said Col. James Dawkins, 5th BW commander and competitor.
As with most team-driven competitions, it was imperative for the crews to work together in order to achieve the fastest time and outscore their opponents.
"Load competitions are very important to the weapons community," said Sampson. "There are 14 load crews on base and these competitions dictate who the best load crew is."
Crew 13 beat out their competitors and will be competing in the Global Strike Challenge for the title of "best of the best" in Air Force Global Strike Command. For many, the competition was also a chance to see what Minot's best and brightest do every day in support of the AFGSC mission.
"Having the colonels load against the lieutenants was just the opening act," said Dawkins. "It was a lot of fun too because it enabled the lieutenants, as well as us old guys, to go out there and see what our loaders do every day while they are out there on the line."
