STAFF Sergeant Rusty Mardis, USAF, mascot for the Frontiersmen of the 341st SW (Space Wing) from Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, leads the way for the team at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, for GUARDIAN CHALLENGE 2001. GUARDIAN CHALLENGE, the world's premier space and missile competition, is a four-day event hosted annually at Vandenberg AFB, CA "to recognize the best and demonstrate the commands warfighting skills. GUARDIAN CHALLENGE creates competition-tough crews; improves readiness and combat capabilities through preparation, innovation and sharing; enhances esprit de corps and strengthens teamwork across all mission areas in the command."