Submitted Photo U.S. Air Force airmen from the 5th Munitions (5MUNS) work on munitions during the 2025 Air Force Combat Operations Competition (AFCOCOMP) at Beale Air Force Base, Calif., Tuesday, Aug. 12. AFCOCOMP is an annual competition that tests ammunition airmen on their speed, efficiency and accuracy for wartime operations. Photo by Senior Airman Trust Tate.

MINOT AIR FORCE BASE – The 5th Munitions Squadron (5MUNS) from Minot Air Force Base emerged as the top team at the 2025 Air Force Combat Operations Competition (AFCOCOMP), held Aug. 11-15 at Beale Air Force Base, California.

Competing against the most elite munitions teams across the Air Force, Team Minot captured first place, claiming the coveted title after a narrow second-place finish in 2024.

AFCOCOMP is an annual, high-intensity competition that challenges conventional munitions maintenance airmen through nine demanding events. The contest is designed to test technical expertise, physical endurance, team cohesion and the ability to perform under pressure — critical attributes for real-world combat support operations.

“Out of the nine total events that we participated in, we won a total of seven, which is an AFCOCOMP first,” said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Joshua Richardson, 5th Munitions Squadron conventional maintenance section chief and returning team lead. “They’ve never seen so many people come through and win that many events. We swept them.”

Representing Air Force Global Strike Command for the second consecutive year, the 5MUNS team entered the 2025 competition with renewed determination. After losing by just one point to Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina, in 2024, this year’s squad was focused on redemption.

“We had to deal with a lot of bombs we don’t normally have in Minot,” said Senior Airman Jack Martin, a conventional maintenance inspector. “The competition was very intense, with competitors giving us a run for our money. But we proved them wrong.”

To prepare, the team engaged in rigorous training that included repeated Munitions Assembly Conveyor (MAC) builds, trailer crossloads and spontaneous ordnance assembly exercises. They practiced assembling a wide range of munitions, including GBU-54s, GBU-56s and MK-82 conicals — all of which featured in competition events.

Each AFCOCOMP team consists of 10 airmen, ranging from airman basic to master sergeant, and must demonstrate mastery over a broad skill set, from assembling complex guided bomb units like the GBU-32 to safely handling advanced air-to-air munitions such as the AIM-9X and AIM-120.

“I’m incredibly proud of the team I had this year,” Richardson said. “Without them, Minot wouldn’t be on the map. Only the best come north. And we’ve proven that.”