Defenders walk the thin blue line

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Ashley Nicole Taylor
  • 354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  Often, the harsh reality of the world is that it can be divided into three types of people: there are good people who are considered sheep and there are bad people who act like wolves. Then there are the people that keep the wolves from the sheep, known as sheepdogs.

Here at Eielson Air Force Base, the sheepdogs are easily recognizable because they wear a badge that stands out among the rest, we know them as security forces defenders.

Senior Airman Patrick Shirley and Airman 1st Class Danny Banderas, 354th Security Forces Squadron response force leaders, are two sheepdogs making sure all members in their unit remember their role by painting 1,200 feet of the famous thin blue line across the main building's walls along with inspirational quotes related to their job.

"We heard about this opportunity at a commander's call when someone returned from a deployment and suggested the idea and we thought it would be a cool project to do here," said Shirley. "So many people recognize the thin blue line but don't know the symbolism of it and we hope this will teach them the story behind it and truly understand what it means to wear our badge."

Although all fallen officers and security forces members are remembered with the thin blue line, one former Iceman came to mind during Shirley and Banderas' painting.

"As we've spent time painting I think about one of our own defenders' story and how he stood up against the wolves in Afghanistan," said Shirley. "Staff Sgt. Leonard Anderson is a survivor, and is the epitome of a sheepdog and stands for everything the blue line means to us."

The mission of all security forces is to protect, defend and fight to enable Air Force, Joint and Coalition missions and there are several inspirational quotes and creeds seen above the blue line.

"I am really glad Airmen Shirley and Banderas volunteered to paint 'The Thin Blue Line' in our squadron," said Capt. Cameron Maher, 354th SFS operations officer. "The line will remind us every day of the important role we play in the Air Force and the community."
 
Shirley and Banderas have already spent over 250 hours of their own time dedicated to this project and the final touches to the line will be made within the next few months, but the legacy is intended to last for many years.

"We're proud of everything we've done, and it's paid off putting our blood, sweat and tears into this," said Banderas. "I hope other bases will catch on to this concept and adopt it to make it their own project."