Photo By Tech. Sgt. Jessica Avallone | Senior Airman Eduardo Tamayo, 420th Air Base Squadron Base Defense Operations Center...... read more read more
Two Security Forces Airmen from the 501st Combat Support Wing (CSW) recently became the Wing’s first-ever graduates of the prestigious PHOENIX RAVEN program, joining an elite group of Defenders trained to provide close-in security for aircraft operating in high-threat environments around the world.
Senior Airman Eduardo Tamayo, 420th Air Base Squadron Base Defense Operations Center (BDOC) controller, and Airman 1st Class Wade Creekmore, 422nd Security Forces Squadron Security Response Team leader, completed the rigorous four-week PHOENIX RAVEN Qualification Course at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey.
PHOENIX RAVENs are a force-protection asset. Their mission is to provide substantial security and support in small teams at austere locations for aircraft, aircrew and cargo. The course certifies Airmen in force protection tactics, aircraft security operations, airfield assessments, anti-terrorism strategies, and hand-to-hand combat. Candidates also receive anti-hijacking training from Federal Air Marshals and complete over 70 use-of-force scenarios to simulate real-world stress.
Tamayo and Creekmore were selected after attending a pre-RAVEN course hosted at RAF Croughton, which prepared a small group of volunteers for the demands of the qualification course. “The pre-RAVEN course was designed to prepare us for the schoolhouse, so that entailed really honing in on attention to detail and making sure we were ready physically as well as academically,” Tamayo said.
For Tamayo, becoming a RAVEN was a long-term goal. “Since the day I was picked up for Security Forces in the Delayed Entry Program I remember researching the different opportunities that come along in the career field, and I knew that becoming a PHOENIX RAVEN was an opportunity that I would not want to pass up.”
Creekmore said the RAVEN path was part of a personal commitment. “I made a New Year's resolution to step out of my comfort zone and push myself more mentally and physically,” he said. “So when the opportunity presented itself I knew I had to follow through even if I wasn't selected to attend the actual RAVEN qualification course in Jersey.”
Both Airmen emphasized how much the course challenged them and how much they grew from it. Tamayo recalled combatives week as his favorite experience “rolling with each other was exhausting but I really enjoyed the competitiveness and the technical aspect of combatives.”
For Creekmore, the most difficult moment was the Redman evaluation, a key test of baton striking and defensive techniques “there are a lot of small details you have to make sure you do when striking the Redman with the baton and if you don't do them you'll fail.”
Representing their units and the 501st CSW made graduation all the more meaningful. “It means everything to be a PHOENIX RAVEN, especially to be RAF Fairford’s first RAVEN,” Tamayo said. “Few can say they are PHOENIX RAVEN. I’m very proud to be part of a small community that has been seen and recognized as nothing short of Defenders who always go above and beyond the standard.”
Creekmore echoed that sentiment “being a PHOENIX RAVEN to me means you uphold a standard outside the norm. When a RAVEN is doing a task you know they'll do it 100% to the best of their abilities.”
The experience has fueled both Airmen’s motivation for future challenges. “After going through the RAVEN course I feel like it’s made me more of a Defender who is a go-getter,” Creekmore said. “It motivates more people in the 501st to step out of their comfort zone and try new opportunities.”
As the newest members of the PHOENIX RAVEN community, Tamayo and Creekmore embody the relentless spirit, discipline, and excellence that define the Security Forces profession. Their achievement not only reflects personal resilience but also ensures the 501st CSW remains equipped with highly trained personnel ready to protect critical Air Force assets in any environment. Their dedication reinforces the Wing’s mission and exemplifies the combat-ready mindset necessary in today’s global security landscape.
| Date Taken: | 05.14.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.14.2025 05:56 |
| Story ID: | 497912 |
| Location: | RAF FAIRFORD, GB |
| Web Views: | 23 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, 501st CSW Defenders Earn Elite PHOENIX RAVEN Status, by Amn Adam Enbal, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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