Airmen check clearances as they load missiles while Global Strike Challenge inspectors observe during Air Force Global Strike Command's first load competition. The competition consisted of a uniform inspection, general knowledge test, tool inspection, munitions build, weapons load and B-1 Bomber pre-flight inspection. Photo by Air Force Airman 1st Class Chelsea Browning.

BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, Louisiana – The son of a Lakeport man is helping rewrite military history books as a competitor in a competition within the Air Force's newest command shouldered with the responsibility for nuclear missiles and bombers throughout the nation.

Air Force Staff Sgt. Matt M. Gerrits, son of Thomas Gerrits, is an aircraft armaments technician who converged on this traditional B-52 bomber base in northern Louisiana to compete in Global Strike Challenge 2010.

It is the new Global Strike Command's competition to determine the best missile, bomber and security forces teams within the command.

It began back in April with a bomb loading competition at a bomber base in North Dakota and ended with the security forces competition at Barksdale.

“The competition was a lot of hard work,” said Gerrits, a 2003 graduate of Kendrick High School, Columbus, Ga. “We worked really hard to show the world that we're the best.”

Air Force Air Force Staff Sgt. Matt M. Gerrits is an aircraft armaments technician for the 2nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Barksdale Air Force Base, La., who participated in the bomb competition portion of Global Strike Challenge 2010. Photo by Air Force Tech. Sgt. Sean Worrell.

All of the nearly 400 competitors, including Gerrits and his teammates, were highly trained in their specialties and tested extensively in their knowledge and abilities in their field.

In addition to active duty airmen, members of all of the Air Force's National Guard and Reserve elements also participated in the competition.

“We didn't actually do any special training for the competition,” said Gerrits, who is assigned to the 2nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Barksdale Air Force Base, La. “We train on what the competition covered monthly. We were ready for it.”

This year's competition is a combination of two older competitions, a bomb competition and a missile competition, that date back to the 1940s.

From 1948 to 1992 Strategic Air Command (SAC) held a bombing and navigation competition to test its best crews.

Members of a Global Strike Challenge team practice possible competition scenarios in the missile procedures trainer. This year's competition is a combination of two older competitions, a bomb competition and a missile competition, that date back to the 1940s. Photo by Beau Wade.

In 1966 SAC held their first missile combat competition. Today, Global Strike Challenge combines both of these storied contests into a single highly competitive whole.

Air Force Global Strike Command, activated in April 2009, puts the command and control of the Air Force's nuclear assets under the control of a single organization.

Its creation began in 2008 when Air Force leaders took a critical look at its nuclear mission after discovering shortcomings in its procedures. They decided the service needed a single command focused on nuclear operations.

“This competition allows all of the participating units to increase their readiness and capabilities,” said Gerrits, who has been in the Air Force for seven years. “But it's also important to the competitors because it lets us exercise our competitive sides and try to take home as many awards as we can.”

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Weapons load crew members direct a trainer cruise missile into place for load on a B-52H Stratofortress during the weapons load portion of the Global Strike Challenge. Nearly 400 airmen were able to compete in this year's challenge. Photo by Air Force Senior Airman Amber Ashcraft.

Security forces team members race for the finish line after a grueling series of obstacles during the mental and physical challenge portion of the security forces competition during Global Strike Challenge 2010. The security forces competition included firing several different weapons including pistols, rifles, machine guns and grenade launchers, as well as tests of their mental and physical endurance. Photo by Air Force Tech. Sgt. Sean Worrell.

Members of a security forces team react to a threat during a scenario designed to test their ability to gauge and react to various threats during the security forces portion of Global Strike Challenge 2010. Photo by Air Force Tech. Sgt. Sean Worrell.

Two security forces members work together to accurately fire an M240 machine gun during the security forces portion of Global Strike Challenge 2010. This portion of the challenge included firing several different weapons including pistols, rifles, machine guns and grenade launchers, as well as tests of their mental and physical endurance. Photo by Air Force Tech. Sgt. Sean Worrell.

A security forces team low crawls under wires, trying to touch none of them, as part of a series of obstacles during the mental and physical challenge portion of the security forces competition during Global Strike Challenge 2010. Photo by Air Force Tech. Sgt. Sean Worrell.