Defender for the Day

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Isaac Johnson
  • 354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, ALASKA --  At the 2018 Air, Space and Cyber conference, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein announced the Year of the Defender, placing a focus on key defender capabilities such as increasing security and lethality, modernizing weapon systems, and preparing base defense for near-peer threats. Col. Benjamin Bishop, the 354th Fighter Wing commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Joshua Hurt, the 354th FW command chief, experienced life as a defender here at Eielson. Bishop and Hurt implemented force protection measures at the base gate, and gained some insight into how their defenders are innovating training to ensure readiness and decrease vulnerabilities.