Defenders train for Guardian Challenge

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Climbing up a rope, Senior Airman Erick Caldwell, of the 30th Security Forces Squadron, trains for Guardian Challenge at the old base gym here Tuesday, April 13, 2010. Guardian challenge is a bi annual space and missiles competition. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Christopher Hubenthal)

Defenders train for Guardian Challenge

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Airman 1st Class Tim Prieto, of the 30th Security Forces Squadron, works out by executing sets of box jumps during training for Guardian Challenge at the old base gym here Tuesday, April 13, 2010. Security forces guardian challenge team members are selected by a physical fitness tryout and must possess outstanding shooting scores. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Christopher Hubenthal)

Defenders train for Guardian Challenge

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Bringing down the hammer, Airman 1st Class Tim Prieto, of the 30th Security Forces Squadron, trains for Guardian Challenge at the old base gym here Tuesday, April 13, 2010. Security forces guardian challenge team members are selected by a physical fitness tryout and must possess outstanding shooting scores. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Christopher Hubenthal)

Defenders train for Guardian Challenge

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -Staff Sgt. Domonic Buzzelli, of the 30th Security Forces Squadron, flips a tire during training for Guardian Challenge at the old base gym here Tuesday, April 13, 2010. Team exercises include resistance runs, tire flips, box jumps, and rope climbs. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Christopher Hubenthal)

SFS Guardian Challenge team ready to compete

Published April 16, 2010
By Senior Airman Steve Bauer
30th Space Wing Public Affairs

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The 30th Security Forces Squadron Guardian Challenge team is preparing to compete in Air Force Space Command's 2010 Guardian Challenge at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., May 16 - 20.

The 30th SFS team will compete in a variety of events that test their competencies as military policemen: marksmanship, combat tactics and an obstacle course.

The team members include Master Sgt. Jeffery Jones, Staff Sgt. Dominic Buzzelli, Staff Sgt. Michael Messina, Airman 1st Class Edward Mauss, Airman 1st Class Michael Perolio and Airman 1st Class Timothy Prieto.

"We have a really good chance at being successful in all of the competitions," said Staff Sgt. Dominic Buzzelli, a member of the 30th SFS Guardian Challenge team. "However, out of all the competitions, I think we will do excellent at the obstacle course."

Leading up to the competition, the team has been practicing every day from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Generally, the practices focus on fitness; two physical training sessions sandwiched between the team's specific Guardian Challenge training.

"I would be really surprised if any of the Guardian Challenge teams are training like us," Sergeant Buzzelli said. "Training is important to us because it serves as a refresher. When we get to Peterson, we want to perform at our very best."

Now, a month away from the competition, the 30th SFS team is getting excited about traveling to Peterson for the Guardian Challenge, said Airman 1st Class Michael Perolio, a 30th SFS team member.

"The Guardian Challenge is a great opportunity for us to represent Vandenberg, show off our skills and earn the bragging rights for two years," Airman Perolio said. "It will also be nice to meet our brothers at Peterson, who are also in the security forces career field."

Although esprit de corps is in mind, the 30th SFS team has one main agenda for the competition.

"Our goal is to win," said Airman Perolio. "Our leadership has allowed us to train, and that has really helped us. I believe if we keep training as hard as we have, we'll have no problems being successful at the competition."

The 30th SFS team will find out their results as the competition comes to a close in May at the Guardian Challenge awards ceremony in Colorado.