GSC score-posters: trained to be tricky

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Andrea F. Liechti
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
Precision, sharpness, straight faces and a little taste of comedy was on display during the 2011 Global Strike Challenge score-posting events Nov. 8 and 9 at Hoban Hall.

Teams gathered from numerous command wings to participate in the two-day event here. Several of the teams were dressed for the occasion, including a group clothed in wild West attire. The score-posters did not let them down with their continuous entertainment.

"At one point during the show I pulled Master Sgt. Bedner by the ear across the stage," said Senior Master Sgt. Tonya Harris, Air Force Global Strike Command communications director and branch manager. "I needed to make sure he understood the score he posted was wrong."

Posting incorrect scores was a tricky technique used by Team Barksdale's score-posters to get the audience involved, she said. The crowds were constantly roaring. Only one number was posted at a time, so it generated moments of suspense.

The eight score-posters, Senior Master Sgt. Tammie Green, Senior Master Sgt. Tonya Harris, Master Sgt. David Bedner, Master Sgt. Sherone Cephas, Master Sgt. Robert Cullison, Master Sgt. Clinton Reed, Master Sgt. Tad Wagner, and Master Sgt. Aaron Wilson, got together a few times throughout the months leading up to the event. The week before the event, however, they trained even harder.

"The training paid off," said Master Sgt. David Bedner, 2nd Medical Group first sergeant. "This was my second year as score-poster, and it was even better than last year. The new additions and team effort put in by all made it a huge success."

New additions to the ceremony, including board lights, a moving ladder and a full set of stage steps, helped everything move smoother, he said.

Senior Master Sgt. Tammie Green, AFGSC formal training program manager, was excited to see what goes into the production of the event as this was her first year participating.

"A lot of behind-the-scene activities and man-hours made the event such a special tradition," she said. "It was like the academy awards for bombers, security forces, helo squadrons and missiliers. You could tell by the team members' enthusiasm that they worked really hard in every competition."

It was the job of the score posters to make the competitors hard work worth-while, Harris said. They practiced non-stop to get the precise moves down.

"Our goal was to take after the Strategic Air Command traditions and show the history and legacy behind the challenge," she said.

They accomplished this goal and even received recognition from a gentleman who was watching the score-posting.

"He said our performance was the best he's seen in more than 22 years," Harris said. "Now that's something to be proud of."

Watching the camaraderie and the squadrons coming together is something everyone should see, she said.

If interested in becoming a Global Strike score-poster for next year's challenge, be aware of announcements to be made closer to next year's events.