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Show r S Hilltop Times July 23, 1992 Peacekeeper Challenge team ready to compete by Jay Joersz Hilltop Times staff writer Walking through the desert brush, four Air Force security policemen move cautiously from tree to tree and bush to bush stopping every eight to 10 feet to take cover. f' IfX It v jVi y --- t- ' '' - '' 7 Vw! si! - 0 i: i f V tH.'4' s i ?-- ' f i i I jf r-. ," jyJ - - . v Their objective is to escort a team of technicians to repair a radar site in a hostile area at the top of a small mountain. Their plan is to move around the side of the mountain, sneak around possible enemy snipers and then make the ascent to the top. All is still The team leader signals the point man to move ahead. Darting out from behind a small evergreen, the airman races to the next tree. But shots ring out in the distance. They've been spotted. As the next man moves out, he asks for cover fire. One by one they continue to move out and begin their long climb up the mountain side. Suddenly, the team leader falls prey to a sniper's bullet only 50 feet away. The highest ranking airman takes over the remaining crew and they continue working toward the objective. One of them spots a sniper running for cover and quickly sprays the area with bullets. Within seconds the enemy is eliminated. ... But before the airman can celebrate his personal victory, he feels the piercing sting of a sniper's bullet for an instant and then nothing. The remaining two regroup and form a plan to sneak up on the remaining sniper. They climb over the top of the mountain, reaching their objective, but continue to the other side to take out the sniper. The two painstakingly crawl quietly through the brush waiting for the sniper to make a mistake and show himself. In a flash, they seize an opportunity there he is, moving behind a bush on the adjacent mountain side. With precision, one of the airmen takes aim and picks off the sniper. With the area now clear, the technicians quickly go to work on the radar. This scenario is an exercise using laser-sighte- d weapons and electronic sensors. It is similar to ones one of the eight used in defender challenge Force in Air the annual Peacekeeper categories The Challenge competition. competition tests the SPs combat skills and durability. And for the second time in three years, but the first time for the newly formed Air Force Materiel Command, Hill AFB will host the command competition. The competition begins Sunday and wraps up on Aug. 1. Hill's team began training April 27 and the team's captain feels confident they will do well. d "I think we have a team, said TSgt. Donald "Chuck" Riesser. "I think endurance is our that is where we have a chance to advantage prove ourselves. Our guys are in excellent shape from climbing the mountains at Camp Williams. Riesser has been a member of five Peacekeeper Challenge teams, four as team captain. This is his second year as team captain at Hill. His other experience was all at Wright-Patterso- n AFB, Ohio. He said the best thing that has happened to the competition was reducing the number of team members from eight to four, two years ago. "With fewer members I can devote more time to individuals and really develop their strengths," Riesser said. The competition consists of eight events: combat rifle, Chief's challenge or rabbit run, run, obstacle course, pistol, defender challenge, 3 grenade launcher and M-6Hill's team consists of SSgt. Dan Calder, Sgt. Pat Mount, Sgt. Brian Martin, Sgt. Dennis Parks and A1C Mike Desormeaux. Calder is a veteran of seven Peacekeeper teams, and he including three years at Wright-Pattersobelieves the Hill team has a good chance this year. "I think we're doing good and we will be very competitive. When it comes down to it, we will be a force to be reckoned with," he said. well-balance- , v ,.". .7V". Photos by Joy Joersz Primed for the challenge Top, Hill AFB's A1C Mike Desormeaux keeps an eagle eye for snipers behind a four-ma-n patrol during practice for the security police Peacekeeper Challenge at Camp Williams. Above, Sgt. Dennis Parks maneuvers through the tough nut on the Hill confidence course. Right, Desormeaux climbs up and over the net of the cargo climb. i H"!wpJk 1 I jf , ... - j M-20- 0. L LI k : ; " n, |