Airmen on ‘FAST’ track for airlift mission

Photo By Adrian Cadiz | Staff Sgt. Nicholas Tim, 746th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron loadmaster directs a K-Loader into place in order to load equipment onto a C-130 Hercules for an air transport mission in support of Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa. The C-130 aircrew delivered fuel and other supplies to Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti, Africa. Sgt. Tim deployed from the 107th Airlift Wing, Niagara Falls, N.Y.  

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04.11.2011

Story by Tech. Sgt. Stacia Zachary 

United States Air Forces Central       

SOUTHWEST ASIA – Security forces airmen are tasked to provide protection to personnel and resources, even when those assets take to the air and travel to locations not on the typical map of U.S. bases around the world.

This is not your typical security forces team out on patrol. A small group of specially trained security forces airmen form a fly-away security team. This team is designed to protect cargo aircraft and the personnel on board when needed within the area of responsibility. Their mission takes them thousands of miles away, at high altitudes and to random locations around the globe.

"Since deploying, we've traveled thousands of miles and landed all over the world - even as far as Greece," said Senior Airman Brandee Thomas, 379th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron FAST member. "This isn't your typical security forces job so you have a lot of new and different things to consider such as working with an aircrew and out of a plane."

For these FAST airmen, their daily shift takes them on aerial missions throughout Southwest Asia and the Horn of Africa. Many of the places they travel to are to areas that are unsecured by U.S. military and require their unique capabilities to keep assets safe and secure.

"The country, the state it's in and the length of time on the ground will determine whether or not an aircrew will need FAST on the mission," said Thomas, deployed from 88th Security Forces Squadron, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. "Our basic role is to mitigate the risk to the aircraft and onboard personnel."

Having FAST airmen on board alleviates the additional burden on loadmasters to provide security while conducting the mission. Their presence is a welcome addition to the aircrew's manifest.

"You're going to an environment that's not protected by U.S. military so you need to bring your own security with you," said Tech. Sgt. Mike Sluberski, 746th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron C-130 Hercules loadmaster. "With them here, we just have to focus on our job because they have that aspect covered."

The FAST team must be cognizant of the local customs and courtesies of the countries they've landed in. Oftentimes, these sensitivities limit the resources and use standard tactics applied at these locations.

"It's important to know what [the current state of affairs] a country is in," said Airman 1st Class Allan Stahl, 379th ESFS FAST member. "You need to tailor how you operate based on the sensitivities of the country all while focusing on providing security to the aircraft and the crew onboard."

Many of the skills the security forces airmen use when on a fly-away mission are learned at The Air Mobility Warfare Center's Fly Away Security training at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. This two-week course is taught by Air Mobility Command's Phoenix Ravens, security forces airmen who are prepared to travel at a moment's notice anywhere around the world to protect Department of Defense assets for as long as it takes to complete the mission.

"We learn multiple combative techniques prior to coming out here," said Senior Airman Milton Jackson, 379th ESFS FAST member. "Prior to coming over here, we are trained on how to blend in with the aircrew and to operate alongside of them effectively to keep all assets secure."

The training provided at the Warfare Center introduces FAST members to elements of security best implemented in austere or unsecured locations while in a deployed environment. The training includes cross-cultural awareness, Verbal Judo and defensive tactics.

"We learn multiple combative techniques prior to coming out here," said Jackson, deployed from the 377th Security Forces Squadron, Kirtland AFB, N.M. "We are taught verbal judo which teaches us how to weigh our words in order to control a situation at the lowest degree possible."

The FAST airmen are not only responsible for ensuring the safety of both the aircraft and the personnel onboard but to also gauge the security of airfields used to conduct missions.

As long as there is a mission requiring aircraft to land in unsecure places, FAST members will continue to serve a vital role in aerial missions.

"Our basic role is to mitigate the risk to the aircraft and onboard personnel," Thomas said. "As long as there is potential threat, we'll be on board to make sure nothing happens."

• Date Taken: 04.11.2011
• Date Posted: 04.11.2011 03:43
• Story ID: 68562
• Location: (UNDISCLOSED LOCATION)