Investigators: Silent partner of security forces

Photo By Staff Sgt. Benjamin Cooper | Investigator Brandon Clement, 100th Security Forces Squadron, demonstrates fingerprinting procedures at Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, Oct. 23, 2020. Investigators receive eight weeks of training that includes skills such as lifting fingerprints, identifying evidence, sketching, photography, identifying narcotics or controlled substances and in-depth training for interviews and interrogation at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Benjamin Cooper)  

RAF MILDENHALL, SFK, UNITED KINGDOM

12.02.2020

Story by Senior Airman Benjamin Cooper 

100th Air Refueling Wing   

ROYAL AIR FORCE MILDENHALL, England – In television and film, detectives are people who separate facts from fiction and bring criminals to justice. In the U.S. Air Force, these people are known as investigators.
Investigators at Royal Air Force Mildenhall use their skills to find out who will be held accountable for their actions.
These Airmen work separately from the rest of the 100th Security Forces Squadron, which allows them to perform more in-depth and subtle tasks.
“Of course, all cops are fact finders, but Investigations differs from security forces, in that we have more training and capabilities,” said Investigator Jeremy Burton, 100th SFS. “Because of our position we can lift up every rock, talk to different people and do things that regular cops might not have the time or resources to do.”
Investigators receive eight weeks of additional training at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri.
“They teach you to dig into the Uniform Code of Military Justice to prove that a crime was or was not committed,” said Investigator Brandon Clement, 100th SFS. “Additionally, we receive more forensic training such as lifting fingerprints, identifying evidence, sketching, photography, identifying narcotics or controlled substances and in depth training for interviews and interrogations.”
As the U.S. Air Force’s equivalent to civilian detectives, these men and women protect Airmen in different ways.
“Our main role in the mission is to ensure the accountability of Airmen,” Clement said. “Additionally, we protect members from common dangers, especially with narcotics and other substances. We do our best to inform Airmen on what's out there, so they can stay safe.”
Protecting Airmen is serious business, but the life of an investigator is not without enjoyment.
“I like to talk to people, and I’ve met some really interesting people,” Burton said. “I enjoy learning about their jobs and lives. We usually stick to our own career field but getting to interact and engage with Airmen from different fields and learn what they do is really cool.”

• Date Taken: 12.02.2020
• Date Posted: 12.02.2020 05:56
• Story ID: 384049
• Location: RAF MILDENHALL, SFK, GB