BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE — The 96th Bomb Squadron and 2d Operations Support Squadron participated in the BUFF Smoke competition Jan. 25-29.

BUFF Smoke is a competition designed to help B-52H Stratofortress aircrews, load crews and maintainers sharpen their combat skills. It incorporates all the variables required to launch a B-52—from the maintenance personnel to aircrew, participants were graded on dropping bombs, using electronic countermeasures and the timing for the mission. All the variables are graded and the inspectors use the scores to determine what would be a successful combat mission.

“The competition is important because it fosters a competitive atmosphere amongst aircrew that motivates them,” said Maj. Jesse W. Lamarand, 2d OSS weapons and tactics flight commander. “Additionally, it provides training opportunities to drop live munitions and a way for the 2d Operations Group to measure combat capability.”

Although Barksdale was the only participant in the four-day competition, hundreds of Airmen performed at the top of their game during the event.

“It was a great way to showcase individual efforts while advertising the 2d Bomb Wing team concept in friendly competition,” said Capt. Mike Green, 96th BS weapons and tactics flight commander. “However, in the future we would like to incorporate more units as well as involve Minot Air Force Base.”

Coordination for the event starts weeks prior, but the detailed mission planning is a multi-day effort depending on how many sorties are able to participate.

The day of the aircrew’s sortie, they received a pre-takeoff brief, a target to strike and a time target. Based on each crew’s performance, they received a score of up to 100 points from their combined test scores, time on target, bomb score, air-refueling contact time and distance from their assigned bomb run track.

“Just as in sports, a healthy competition amongst professionals raises the bar and makes you a better player,” said Major Lamarand. “In that sense, morale is increased because you will have learned or experienced things that will make you a better Airman overall.”

As with any major event, there were challenges to overcome as well as every day difficulties to work through.
“The primary obstacle we had to overcome was coordinating all the pieces of the competition to fit perfectly together,” said Major Lamarand. “A few of these pieces included finding a tanker for air-refueling every day, munitions building bombs on time and weapons personnel loading them while trying to accomplish their own training.”

Captain Greene agreed it was a true 2d BW team effort performing with the munitions experts, weapon loaders and maintenance personnel doing their job to the fullest.

BUFF Smoke improves the combat effectiveness of every Airman involved. In doing so, the United States and its allies can be sure that when the Airmen at Barksdale are called upon, they can deliver the right force, at the right time, any time.

Due to the 20th Bomb Squadron’s deployment, the results will be announced during a ceremony for the 96th BS in two weeks.

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