Photo By Tech. Sgt. Carlos Trevino | Senior Airman Kalysta Nyquist-Asmussen checks an identification card as she reminds a...... read more read more
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Two security forces defenders and four agents from the Air Force Office of Special Investigations died of wounds sustained when their patrol was attacked by a suicide bomber on a motorcycle near Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan Dec. 21, 2015, while supporting Operation Freedom's Sentinel.
Two additional defenders died along with four other Airmen Oct. 2, 2015, when their C-130J Super Hercules crashed shortly after takeoff from Jalalabad Airfield, Afghanistan. The six Airmen were assigned to the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing.
“When we lose a defender in the line of duty, we lose a family member,” said Lt. Col. Melissa Brown, the 379th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron commander. “It hurts for a long time and leaves a permanent hole no matter where the defender was serving.”
Brown continued that the loss of a defender reminds security forces members of the seriousness of their mission, especially in a deployed environment.
“It drives us to be sharper, more attentive and ever-mindful of the bad people who would do harm to our assets and personnel if we give them the opportunity,” Brown said.
Members of the 379th at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, will honor fallen officers and defenders during National Police Week May 15-20, culminating in a final guard mount and retreat ceremony at Memorial Plaza during which their six fallen fellow Airmen will be recognized.
“We continue to stand guard in honor of our fallen,” said Brown.
The 379th ESFS is comprised of Airmen from the Active Duty, Reserve, and National Guard communities. More than 1,200 defenders rotate through AUAB each year to support security requirements both here and throughout the region.
At AUAB, the 379th ESFS supports a range of familiar security mission sets, such as installation security, asset protection, and law enforcement. However, they also support unique expeditionary missions, to include joint mounted patrols with host nation law enforcement personnel and security for aircraft and aircrew when traveling through airfields where security is unknown or inadequate through Fly-Away Security Teams.
The following vignettes highlight some of the diverse roles of AUAB defenders in honor of Police Week.
Standing sentry: Gate guards endure heat, long shifts to keep AUAB members secure
With temperatures soaring above 110-degrees and hot, gusty winds reaching 15 to 20 mph, it would be easy for the defenders manning the gates at AUAB for 12 to 14 hours each day to become complacent – if they weren’t always alert to danger.
“You have to have all your senses heightened because there is a different kind of threat out here,” said Senior Airmen Kalysta Nyquist-Asmussen, who is deployed from Hurlburt Field, Fla. “Working in a different country, we are making sure we keep the right people in, and the wrong people out.”
Defenders visually survey each vehicle as it approaches the entry control point in search of any wires, devices, or other out-of-place items.
“It’s important that we are paying attention to detail,” Nyquist-Asmussen said.
Back at his home station, Senior Airman Bobby Lee Mapote defends the chilly northern Plains of Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D. The desert heat of Qatar is a change for him, but he always has a smile on his face when he greets visitors at the gate.
“It’s nice to meet and greet people out here,” said Mapote. “It’s a good experience working with coalition forces, seeing new faces, and meeting new people.”
While Mapote may greet each vehicle warmly, the defender is still actively monitoring the vehicle, using the exchange to gauge the vehicle’s driver and passengers for suspicious behavior while ensuring there are no other hidden passengers or objects in the vehicle.
The guards rotate posts periodically to remain alert. Still, it is always a hot shift.
“We take care of each other and make sure everyone out here at the gate hydrates,” said Nyquist-Asmussen.
Despite the heat and long shifts, Nyquist-Asmussen cites her flight’s camaraderie as her daily motivation.
“The good people here make it worth it,” Nyquist-Asmussen said referring to her fellow defenders at the gate.
Defenders with wings: Unmanned aerial systems enhancing perimeter patrols
Most defenders at AUAB keep their boots on the ground, but some, like Airman 1st Class Christian Weiss, still manage to make it up in the air.
If you are looking for Weiss manning a gate at an entry control point, then you’re looking in the wrong direction for this sharp Airman who recently earned AUAB Airman of the Quarter.
Look up, because Weiss has wings. He is a member of a two-person crew that operates the RQ-11B Raven unmanned aerial system over the skies of AUAB.
“Flying the Raven-B is a good experience. I didn’t have any prior knowledge of how aircraft fly. This is something not everyone was selected to do,” he said.
Weiss attended a special training course to become certified as an RQ-11B operator.
“At flight school we learned the air tasking order and how to handle conflicting air space,” he said. “At AUAB, we are in a manned and unmanned environment, so we have to learn how to always be wary of what is in the sky because manned flight has the sky eventually.”
The Raven-B offers defenders everywhere a broader security capability, enhancing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability beyond what a normal camera or sentry can accomplish due to its vantage point. Locally, the Raven-B affords better monitoring capability of roads approaching entry control points and perimeter security.
Just as the Raven-B provides a wider perspective to defenders, Weiss says this deployment brings him a broader experience as an Airman.
"A deployment gives you a different perspective, it gives you a wider range of experience than what you might see at home station,” he said. “The atmosphere is different compared to home station,” he said.
Paws on patrol: Military working dogs bring psychological boon to security efforts
From wings in the air over AUAB to boots, or in this case, paws on the ground, the defenders of AUAB have many ways to detect and deter an adversary. Among them are the military working dogs and their Security Forces handlers.
“Military working dog teams bring a huge psychological deterrent to the Security Forces career
Field,” said kennel master Tech. Sgt. Kevin M. Nelson of the 379th ESFS. “They are trained not only for patrol [attack work] but also explosive and narcotic detection as well.”
The military working dogs also have a psychological effect – but not just the one most people associate with dogs trained to deter and detain suspects.
“Having the dog around, people get calm,” said Staff Sgt. Michael Peralez, the handler of military working dog Rogaine. “At the gate or patrolling Memorial Plaza, some of the meanest people become real compliant. Walking a patrol through there with Rogaine, it brings an awareness that these guys are out and about.”
Peralez also believes the MWDs enhance morale, which makes law enforcement easier at AUAB.
“The dogs always bring up morale. At the gate, people will see the dog, and then they always want to get bit,” said Peralez.
That is, they want to get bit with the training sleeve, on a training day, in a controlled environment, Peralez clarified. He said that people often bring up their dogs back at home station and reminisce when he brings MWD Rogaine through an area.
Like their human handlers, the military working dogs train frequently. On Saturday mornings, the handlers invite the AUAB community to visit the kennel to observe the training and maybe experience the MWDs infamous bite while wearing the training sleeve under the supervision of the handler.
“I train Rogaine day in and day out. This deployment is his opportunity to shine. We train nonstop,” Peralez said.
Despite his and MWD Rogaine’s role in supporting the base, Peralez emphasized that it is the collective team of defenders that enable the protection of the base and its people every day
“We are the first ones you call when things go down,” said Peralez. “We are the first people you see when you come in the gate, and we are the last people you see when you leave the installation. Nothing gets on the installation without being detected by us.”
Ever vigilant: Preparing for the worst
Defenders train regularly to respond to a variety of situations, but there are some cases when the first response will come from those immediately involved in an emergency – such as in the case of an active shooter scenario.
At AUAB, ESFS members support “Check Six” training. The training program works with individual units to teach their personnel to be aware of their surroundings at all times, and most importantly, how to defend themselves and others in the event a hostile threat occurs.
Personnel are trained to fight off the aggressor, barricade the area or escape – but never freeze, which is a natural response for some.
The Check Six team recently visited Army soldiers from the 69th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, Ft. Hood, Texas, assigned to defend AUAB through a network of Patriot missile systems.
“Some of [our Soldiers] were there when the active shooter incident happened a few years ago,” said Capt. Moses Marmolejo. “We practice this and rehearse this. This stuff really happens. The first time we, the Soldiers, did an okay job. However, because of their Check Six training and the things we’ve learned, I feel confident as a commander that we would be able to protect ourselves.”
Master Sgt. Ryan Rhodes, 379th ESFS, echoed Marmolejo’s words. “They did a lot better than last time. They were able to get to their radios and Big Voice. They were surprised last time,” Rhodes said.
Rhodes stressed the importance of Check Six training and evaluating the Soldiers’ response.
“We do have the possibility of an insider threat here,” said Rhodes. “Our job is to ensure we do everything within our power to detect and deter that type of threat. But, in the worst case scenario, we want to ensure we’ve given our members the tools they need to protect themselves until we arrive.”
| Date Taken: | 05.17.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 05.17.2016 06:05 |
| Story ID: | 198320 |
| Location: | QA |
| Hometown: | GUAM, GU |
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