Every two years aerial port squadrons from around the Air Force Reserve Command and the world gather to compete in the Port Dawg Challenge.
Six Airmen from the 87th Aerial Port Squadron tested their strengths and knowledge of the core skills of a 2T2 air transportation specialist April 14-16, competing in 12 events and challenges with the ultimate goal of taking home the trophy.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity to bring a tight-knit community together, to learn from each other, to grow the network for our community, and to honor some of the legends of the 2T2 family who have advanced the Port Dawg career field,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Michael Harrison, 87th APS commander. “The 87th has been sending teams to the Port Dawg Challenge for quite some time, but the Bulldog trophy has always eluded us. Our best showing was in 2019 when we placed top five overall.”
Each team is composed of one first term Airman, one master sergeant, and four other members who must be technical sergeant or below. However, the Port Dawg Challenge is more than a fun competition, it highlights the unique skillsets that 2T2s bring to the fight.
“Competition is what brings us together, but some of the broader value is in the opportunity for relationship building and networking,” added Harrison, who went to support the 87th APS team. “It’s a great opportunity to see how other people do business, but it’s also a fun reminder of how small our Air Force family is. It provides a chance to see old friends and past members of our unit who are doing great things across the Air Force.
“Events like the Port Dawg Challenge allow for the sharing of strengths and processes that sharpen the skills of the collective team and grow the bonds of our Air Force family ever stronger,” he added.
While the 87th APS did not win the competition, they were praised by the event coordinators for their ability to communicate and their attention to safety standards.
“We received a lot of positive feedback about how well our team communicated,” said Chief Master Sgt. Brian Anders, 87th APS aerial port manager. “One of their stand-out events was the pallet build-up where they received immediate accolades for both the speed and effectiveness in which they performed the task. Our Port Dawgs deploy to contested environments, and these lessons learned help them move faster, decrease the time on the ground for the airlift and keep the materiel moving.”
Harrison stressed the alignment with the priorities of Lt. Gen. John P. Healy, Chief of Air Force Reserve and Commander of Air Force Reserve Command.
“Lieutenant General Healey directed the Air Force Reserve to prioritize stress inoculation in our training to help prepare us for contested environments,” Harrison said. “The environment of competition helps breed a sense of urgency that translates directly into our operational capabilities.”
While the Port Dawg Challenge is put on by AFRC, historically many international partners also join in the competition.
“This year we had observers from the Philippines, as well as a team each from the United Kingdom and Canada who directly competed against the teams from across AFRC,” Harrison explained. “The United Kingdom team performed particularly well, placing in the top three in several different events.
“Getting to engage with our international partners in events like this is one of my favorite aspects,” he continued. “It’s a unique opportunity to get a glimpse into how our partners operate, but also a reminder of how we can come from different parts of the world and still come together towards a common goal.”
Anders added that of the 30 plus teams that competed, many trained specifically for this competition while others assembled weeks prior.
“You always go into a competition wanting the victory, but the Port Dawg Challenge is not something you can expect to claim the title for without high performers who are focused on winning,” said Anders, who also went to support the unit’s team. “Our goal is to start identifying a team early and begin training for the next challenge now with lessons learned from this year’s competition.”
Harrison stressed the exceptional work of the 445th Airlift Wing’s Port Dawgs.
“The 87th receives accolades everywhere we go, praising our performance and culture,” the APS commander said. “I think it’s high time we bring the bulldog home to the 445th and cement our place as one of the premier aerial ports in the Air Force.”