In an event sponsored by the National Football League, the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines and Navy battled it out in six events that comprise the NFL Military Challenge Feb. 10. The Air Force team, made up of Hickam Air Force Base balers, took top honors, using overtime to capture the trophy.

The bluesuiters first made a mad dash for the lead; the six-person relay team each sprinted 40 yards. Claude Jennings, Chad Raper, Nathan Allen, Lester LaFrance, Daray Davis and Ryan McGovern combined to cover the 240 yards in 29.86 seconds, topping the Marines time of 30.67.

The second event, field goal kicking, was indicative of the competitive and skilled nature of the challenge. McGovern split the uprights on an impressive seven of 10 attempts. That was good enough for last place among the five kickers.

Soldier Mark Welch booted a perfect 10, soliciting a “my Colts are looking for a kicker” cry from a horseshoe-emblem-hatted spectator.

Next, Sailor Joe McGill hit the long-snap target three of eight times, taking top honors over Jennings who converted twice during the snapping competition

The punting competition had Raper sacrificing distance to ensure accuracy in swirling winds. Raper took second, booming three kicks for 92 yards, seven hash marks short of the Army’s 99-yard winning tally.

Heading into the final event, the Army led by one point over Air Force, two points over Navy and three points above the Marines.

The passing competition was helmed by Jennings, who used the same skills that have earned him a 32-game-winning-streak.

The point system rewarded completions of specific distances over 60 seconds. A receiver couldn’t break the line of scrimmage until the previous pas was either caught or hit the ground. The Marines took first place and the five points. With the Air Force coming in second, and the Army third, they were knotted in first place after regulation.

An overtime toss off was just what Jennings was hoping for.

“We’re playing for all the glory going through the air,” he said. “It played right into our strengths.”

Having figured out the timing scheme from the first round, the five receivers that had earlier blazed to the sprint win took advantage of Jennings' perfectly-timed tosses.

The Air Force QB timed the throws allowed his receivers to run under each bomb, completing a perfect 10 in a row. None were more spectacular than Lester adjusting to a wind-rattled pass, twisting his body around and sliding under the pigskin just before it hit the ground.

For Allen, the victory was sweet, but the camaraderie better.

“It was great to have a chance to challenge the sister services in this friendly competition, especially knowing that at anytime we might be fighting right alongside them under different circumstances,” he said.