Security Forces--trained and prepared

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Gloria Wilson
  • 354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  While Eielson is transitioning to a training-oriented mission, it's business as usual for the 354th Security Forces Squadron. 

They still provide installation security, still enforce the law on base and respond to emergencies, and still deploy to support the global war on terrorism. 

The security forces mission is no small task; but it is one that the 354th SFS does well with trained, qualified personnel. 

A security forces Airman is no stranger to training, said Tech. Sgt. Jwan Tucker, Emergency Communications Center desk sergeant. 

"When I look back and think about a time, since I've been security forces, that I wasn't involved in training, scheduled for training, or at a meeting of some sort where someone was talking about training, I find that I can't remember a time," he said. 

Security forces' training begins at technical school. It's where they are first trained in ground combat skills to include land navigation, crew served weapons systems, claymore mines, fragmentation hand grenade use, patrolling, hand and arm signals, squad movements, and many other skills much of which are based upon Army doctrine. 

It is also where they are trained on law enforcement to include response to emergencies, response to building alarms, traffic direction, traffic regulations enforcement, initial investigations, and crime scene securing for major crimes. 

But their training isn't over after technical school. 

When a security forces member arrives at a new permanent duty station they must complete Phase-II training. This is where the Airman learns specific base and mission requirements, policies and procedures and they receive this training before they begin their duties on a flight. A flight is where SF Airmen, who perform the base's security and law enforcement mission, are assigned. 

Once on a flight, the training continues in the form of flight-level exercises, standardization and evaluation qualifications, specialized training and monthly ancillary training. Training is a part of security forces life. 

"Flight-level exercises are conducted on an average of one exercise per day," said Tech. Sgt. Christopher Howard, 354th SFS bravo flight sergeant. "These exercises could be anything from a bomb threat to a flightline emergency. They're important and they keep us fresh. Waiting until something actually happens, to learn what to do, is too late." 

As with most things there is a checks-and-balance system and for the 354th SFS it's in the form of Standardization and Evaluation. Stan-Eval tests a SF Airmen's knowledge through the use of various written tests, an oral examination and a practical examination in which the SF Airman must physically respond to a fictional situation/scenario that they could possibly encounter in real-world situation. 

All aspects of the SF member's response are critiqued from proper control of a suspect to control of a cordon. 

"If an Airman fails any portion of their Stan-Eval they will be retrained in that particular area and retested, said Tech. Sgt. Phillip Wazny, 354th SFS evaluator. "The security forces mission is important; there is no room for error." 

A security forces shift can be as long as 14 hours and weekends and holidays are just another duty-day but even with all the duty hours put in, it is not uncommon for a security forces Airman to attend training on their day off. 

"It may seem excessive to some, but continuous training is crucial to our Airmen's success especially in our expeditionary environment," said Major Scott Sanford, 354th SFS commander. "Whether at home or deployed, when we respond to a situation lives can be at risk and training is that one critical piece that can make the difference between a good outcome and a bad one.