The United States Air Force Security Forces (SF) are the ground combat force and military police service of the
U.S. Air Force and
U.S. Space Force. USAF Security Forces (SF) were formerly known as Military Police (MP), Air Police (AP), and Security Police (SP) at various points in its history. Due to its significant ground combat mission, Security Forces are often regarded as
Air Force infantry within the Air Force and were formed on the premise of being the Air Force's "Marine Corps", in that they would provide security for the Air Force similar to how the
Marines
Marines, or naval infantry, are typically a military force trained to operate in littoral zones in support of naval operations. Historically, tasks undertaken by marines have included helping maintain discipline and order aboard the ship (ref ...
provide security for the
Navy
A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It include ...
.
Mission
As outlined in
Department of the Air Force
The United States Department of the Air Force (DAF) is one of the three military departments within the Department of Defense of the United States of America. The Department of the Air Force was formed on September 18, 1947, per the National Sec ...
publications, Security Forces are responsible to protect, defend, and fight to enable
U.S. Air Force, Joint, and Coalition mission success. Not only are they responsible for installation law and discipline enforcement, but Security Forces are the Air Force's base defense and ground combat force.
Personnel
Leadership
The director of Security Forces is a
brigadier general
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed t ...
and the highest-ranking Security Forces officer, sometimes referred to as the "Top Cop". The director of Security Forces reports to the deputy chief of staff of the Air Force for logistics, engineering and force protection. The director of Security Forces has the responsibility to develop policy, doctrine, and guidance for Security Forces and serves as the executive agent for the Department of Defense Military Working Dog Program.
The deputy director of Security Forces acts as the chief deputy to the director of Security Forces. The Security Forces Career Field Manager is a
chief master sergeant and the senior enlisted Defender, acting as an adviser to the director of Air Force Security Forces.
History
Military Police (Aviation) and Air Base Defense Battalions
The USAF Security Forces lineage can be traced to its beginning in WWII with the German
blitzkrieg
Blitzkrieg ( , ; from 'lightning' + 'war') is a word used to describe a surprise attack using a rapid, overwhelming force concentration that may consist of armoured warfare, armored and motorised infantry, motorized or mechanised infantry, ...
. Blitzkrieg relied on swift attacks by land and air. One of the tactics employed by blitzkrieg was the use of paratroops and airborne forces to capture, or destroy in advance, air bases. A key turning point in air base defensive thinking came with the loss of the
Battle of Crete
The Battle of Crete (german: Luftlandeschlacht um Kreta, el, Μάχη της Κρήτης), codenamed Operation Mercury (german: Unternehmen Merkur), was a major Axis airborne and amphibious operation during World War II to capture the islan ...
to German forces and capture of the British air base at
Maleme in 1941. This single action led then Prime Minister
Winston Churchill to study British air base defense policy, and in a condemning memo to the Secretary of State for Air and to the Chief of the Air Staff dated 29 June 1941, Churchill stated he would no longer tolerate the shortcomings of the
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...
(RAF), in which half a million RAF personnel had no combat role. He ordered that all airmen be armed and ready "to fight and die in defense of their air fields" and that every airfield should be a stronghold of fighting air-ground men and not "uniformed civilians in the prime of life protected by detachments of soldiers."
Churchill's directive resulted in formation of the
RAF Regiment
The Royal Air Force Regiment (RAF Regiment) is part of the Royal Air Force and functions as a specialist corps. Founded by royal warrant in 1942, the Corps carries out soldiering tasks relating to the delivery of air power. Examples of such tas ...
.
On 12 February 1942 the United States adopted the British air defense philosophy. The Army Chief of Staff, Gen.
George C. Marshall, approved the allocation of 53,299 African-Americans to the Army Air Forces with the "stipulation that air base defense 'for the number of air bases found necessary' be organized and that 'Negro personnel' be used for this purpose as required." This order formed the
Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
(AAF) air base security battalions in June 1942. Units were deployed throughout the European, Asian and African theaters and designed to defend against local ground attacks. These units were armed with rifles, machine guns and 37mm guns.
On 29 March 1943, General
Hap Arnold, the commander of the Army Air Forces, established the
Office of the Air Provost Marshal, which established three separate organizations for the law enforcement and security role: Guard Squadrons, Military Police Companies (Aviation), and Air Base Security Battalions. Guard Squadrons were assigned to provide interior law enforcement and security to bases within the continental United States, with a technical guard school at Miami Army Air Field and a military police school at Buckley Field. Outside the United States the duties of law enforcement and internal security were carried out by Military Police Companies (Aviation), which, while a part of the Army Air Forces, were still part of the Army's
Military Police Corps. Their training was conducted at
Camp Ripley
Camp Ripley is a military and civilian training facility operated by the Minnesota National Guard near the city of Little Falls in the central part of the state. The location of the camp was selected in 1929 by Ellard A. Walsh, Adjutant Genera ...
. Air Base Security Battalions, the direct predecessors to the USAF Security Forces, were formed to be the ground combat force of the Army Air Forces, much like the RAF Regiment is for the Royal Air Force. The battalions operated machine guns, mortars, grenade launchers, rocket launchers, half-tracks, self-propelled guns, and even light tanks, with the official history of the USAF Security Forces referring to them as the Army Air Forces' "infantry"
When the Air Force was created with the signing of the
National Security Act of 1947
The National Security Act of 1947 ( Pub.L.br>80-253 61 Stat.br>495 enacted July 26, 1947) was a law enacting major restructuring of the United States government's military and intelligence agencies following World War II. The majority of the prov ...
, all members of the AAF were transferred to the new branch, to include military police attached to the Army Air Forces.
Air Police
On 2 January 1948 the Military Police were reformed into the Air Police and established the Air Provost Marshal. Immediately twenty-two military police companies were predesignated Air Police squadrons, however the term Air Police did not come into full usage until November 1948. The transfer of personnel fully from the Army to the Air Force was supposed to be completed by December 1948, however it was not fully completed until 1953. In April 1952 Army grade titles and MOS designations were replaced with Air Force AFSCs.
In June 1950 the Air Force began urgent operations focused on air base defense with the outbreak of the
Korean War
{{Infobox military conflict
, conflict = Korean War
, partof = the Cold War and the Korean conflict
, image = Korean War Montage 2.png
, image_size = 300px
, caption = Clockwise from top: ...
. A buildup of ground combat forces began. The center of this buildup was the expansion of the Air Force Air Police from 10,000 in July 1950 to 39,000 in December 1951. Still, one year into the war the Air Provost Marshal reported that "the Air Force is without policy or tactical doctrine for Air Base Ground Defense." In haste, Air Police serving as the cadre of this force were outfitted with armored vehicles, machine guns and recoilless rifles. Air base defense was officially implemented by Air Force Regulation (AFR) 355–4 on 3 March 1953. AFR 355-4 defined air base defense "as all measures taken by the installation commander to deny hostile forces access to the area encompassing all buildings, equipment, facilities, landing fields, dispersal areas and adjacent terrain." However, the regulation did not include provisions for sustained ground defense operations. Performance of this mission fell to the provisional base defense task forces to be organized and equipped like infantry. It was the
Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command (SAC) was both a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile c ...
's (SAC) October 1952 edition of the SAC Manual 205-2 that rejected the notion that the USAF's ground defense mission conflicted with Army functions. SAC officials felt that success of the Air Force mission might require point defense elements that the Army could not afford to protect, much less have the Air Force rely on the Army to come to the rescue. After the Korean War, General
Curtis LeMay
Curtis Emerson LeMay (November 15, 1906 – October 1, 1990) was an American Air Force general who implemented a controversial strategic bombing campaign in the Pacific theater of World War II. He later served as Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air F ...
had the Air Police begin the Combat Arms Program, to better train airmen in the use of weapons.
On 1 September 1950 the Air Police School was established at
Tyndall Air Force Base. In 1952 the Air Police school was transferred to
Parks AFB, California, and re-designated the "Air Base Defense School" to emphasize on air base defense capabilities. It soon became evident the emphasis on air base defense was not making much headway. On 13 October 1956 Air Police training was transferred to
Lackland AFB,
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
, where it evolved into Security Police training and eventually became the
US Air Force Security Forces Academy.
Toward the end of the 1950s and into the 1960s, the Air Police began to reemphasize the security aspect of their mission, with a strong focus being given to protecting the Air Force's strategic nuclear weapons, and a greater amount of centralization regarding training occurred. The Air Provost Marshal was also redesignated the Director of Security and Law Enforcement.
On 1 November 1964, between 12:25 and 12:33 am,
Vietnamese Communist (VC) troops attacked Bien Hoa Air Base with six 81mm mortars positioned about 400 meters north, outside the air base. The VC fired 60-80 rounds into parked aircraft and troop billets, then withdrew undetected and unabated. The attack killed four US military personnel, wounded 30 and destroyed and/or damaged 20
B-57 bombers. U.S. air bases had become targets and became routine targets thereafter. The Air Force was not allowed to patrol the perimeter of their bases. That role was left up to the Vietnamese Air Force. Also, the U.S. Army was cited as being tasked to control the security of the area around the air base, and after-action scrutiny along with politics served to foster distrust and jealousy between services, chains of command and the U.S. and Vietnamese services. As a result, air bases in South Vietnam were left vulnerable. By striking at USAF air bases the
North Vietnamese Army (NVA) and VC employed
Giulio Douhet's military concept, which stated the only effective way to counter air power was to destroy its bases on the ground. This concept has also been proven effective during the
Indochina War
The First Indochina War (generally known as the Indochina War in France, and as the Anti-French Resistance War in Vietnam) began in French Indochina from 19 December 1946 to 20 July 1954 between France and Việt Minh ( Democratic Republic of ...
from 1946 to 1954, when the
Viet Minh
The Việt Minh (; abbreviated from , chữ Nôm and Hán tự: ; french: Ligue pour l'indépendance du Viêt Nam, ) was a national independence coalition formed at Pác Bó by Hồ Chí Minh on 19 May 1941. Also known as the Việt Minh Fr ...
regularly and successfully attacked French air bases.
The
USAF Sentry Dog program was a product of the
Korean War
{{Infobox military conflict
, conflict = Korean War
, partof = the Cold War and the Korean conflict
, image = Korean War Montage 2.png
, image_size = 300px
, caption = Clockwise from top: ...
. On 1 May 1957 the Air Force gained responsibility for training all working dogs in the Department of Defense. By 1965 the USAF had a pool of sentry dog teams available for deployment to
South Vietnam. Nightly at every air base, sentry dog teams were deployed as a detection and warning screen in the zone separating combat forces from the perimeter. Nearly all air base defense personnel agreed that the Sentry Dog Teams rendered outstanding service, with some going as far to say "Of all the equipment and methods used to detect an attacking enemy force, the sentry dog has provided the most sure, all-inclusive means."
Security Police
During their time in Korea and early in Vietnam, the Air Police found themselves in a number of ground combat roles, some of which more accurately reflected an infantry-type role than that of the military police. In 1966 the Air Police were redesignated the Security Police, in an effort to more accurately reflect the security and combat aspect of their mission.
Shortly after the creation of the Security Police, in 1967 the "Safe Side" program was activated, which resulted in certain Security Police squadrons being trained in the use of light infantry tactics and special weapons to better enhance air base defense. Many of the squadrons that were part of the Safe Side project, such as the 1041st Security Police Squadron (Test), established observation posts, listening posts, conducted reconnaissance and ambush patrols, and served as mobile response forces to protect the airbases. The successes of this initial squadron resulted in the creation of the
82nd Combat Security Police Wing
8 (eight) is the natural number following 7 and preceding 9.
In mathematics
8 is:
* a composite number, its proper divisors being , , and . It is twice 4 or four times 2.
* a power of two, being 2 (two cubed), and is the first number ...
and the development of ground combat training for all security policemen. In 1968 the Air Force accepted the Safe Side Program's recommendation to establish 559-man Combat Security Police Squadrons (CSPS) organized into three field flights. Three CSPS were incrementally activated, trained and deployed in 179-day temporary duty rotations to South Vietnam. On 15 March 1968 the 821st CSPS began a hasty training program at
Schofield Barracks
Schofield Barracks is a United States Army installation and census-designated place (CDP) located in the City and County of Honolulu and in the Wahiawa District of the Hawaiian island of Oahu, Hawaii. Schofield Barracks lies adjacent to the ...
, Hawaii, and was in place at
Phan Rang Air Base on its TDY deployment by 15 April. The 822nd CSPS was organized, more completely trained and replaced the 821st in August 1968. The 823rd CSPS was trained at
Fort Campbell
Fort Campbell is a United States Army installation located astride the Kentucky–Tennessee border between Hopkinsville, Kentucky and Clarksville, Tennessee (post address is located in Kentucky). Fort Campbell is home to the 101st Airborne Div ...
,
Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virgini ...
, and replaced the 822nd in March 1969, remaining until August 1969 when it was replaced by the 821st.
The vindication for the Safe Side program occurred during the Battle of Tan Son Nhut, as part of the
Tet Offensive
The Tet Offensive was a major escalation and one of the largest military campaigns of the Vietnam War. It was launched on January 30, 1968 by forces of the Viet Cong (VC) and North Vietnamese People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) against the force ...
, on 31 January 1968, when Tan Son Nhut Airbase was attacked by a combined force of seven North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong battalions, composing an enemy force of 2,500 enemy troops. The combat trained Security Police were able to hold off the North Vietnamese forces, preventing the loss of the airbase. The Vietnam War demonstrated to the Air Force the need for whole base defense measures,
and demonstrated that airmen, regardless of AFSC, could be vulnerable to attack, just the same as Army and Marine forces.
By January 1971 the Security Police career field was split into two separate functions: Law Enforcement Specialist (AFSC 812XX) and Security Specialist (AFSC 811XX). In November 1971 the first female airmen trained into the law enforcement specialty, and in November 1976 100 female airmen were trained as security specialists. Although the female security specialist program was soon after shut down, they have the distinction of being the first women permitted into any combat role in the entire U.S. Armed Forces. Law enforcement specialists, who had excelled in their career field, could be selected as criminal investigators and attend Military Police Investigations training at the 3280th TCHTG OLA Air Force Liaison at Ft. McClellan, AL, or attend the Office of Special Investigations basic agent's course at Bolling AFB, Washington DC.
In May 1975, Security Police units were tasked with a high priority rescue operation of the
SS Mayaguez merchant ship, and with Air Force helicopters, were preparing to perform a boarding of the ship. Prior to the rescue mission one of the helicopters crashed, killing 18 security policemen, and forcing the mission to be aborted.
The loss of this aircraft was attributed to a failure to properly assemble a blade sleeve during overhaul nearly a year earlier.
From 1981 to 1989 the Security Police were responsible for protecting the USAF's ground launched cruise missiles in Europe, providing security for them during the height of the
Cold War. In 1983, during
Operation Urgent Fury
The United States invasion of Grenada began at dawn on 25 October 1983. The United States and a coalition of six Caribbean nations invaded the island nation of Grenada, north of Venezuela. Codenamed Operation Urgent Fury by the U.S. militar ...
, Security Police forces were among the first on Grenada, responsible for securing runways and POWs. In January 1985 women were finally permitted to enter the security field - the first since 1976.
In 1987 the standard weapon of the Security Police Law Enforcement Branch was changed from the
Smith & Wesson Model 15 .38-cal. six-shot revolver to the
Beretta M9, a 9mm semi-automatic pistol with a standard 15-round magazine, which brought the Security Police in line with the rest of the
United States Armed Forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is ...
. Also in 1987 the Air Base Ground Defense School was moved from Camp Bullis to Fort Dix, where the Army was given control of the training. In 1989, as a part of
Operation Just Cause
Operation or Operations may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity
* Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory
* ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Ma ...
, Security Police units were responsible for securing airfields during the Invasion of Panama and performing drug interdiction and humanitarian missions.
In August 1990, Security Police were deployed to Saudi Arabia as a part of
Operation Desert Shield
The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...
, where they were responsible for guarding airbases, dignitary support, and counter terrorism. In August 1995 Air Base Ground Defense Training was moved from Fort Dix back to Camp Bullis, and control was shifted from the Army back to the Air Force. During
Operation Joint Endeavor in Bosnia, Security Police forces conducted convoy operations and acted as a peacekeeping force. In 1996 the
Khobar Towers Bombing
occurred, with 19 airmen killed and 260 injured. Security Policemen SSgt Alfredo Guerrero, SrA Corey Grice and A1C Christopher Wager received the
Airman's Medal for their actions prior to and after the terrorist attack.
[Defense.gov News Photos](_blank)
. www.defense.gov. Retrieved 14 August 2011
Security Forces
In response to the
Khobar Towers bombing, the Air Force reevaluated how the Security Police was organized, and came to the realization it could not afford to have only a few specialize in the security aspect of the mission. On 31 October 1997, the Security Police became the Security Forces, with all individual specialties being merged into one Security Forces specialist AFSC. The Security Forces brought back the principles of Safe Side, transforming the Security Forces into a combat force.
In 1997 the Air Force activated the
820th Base Defense Group, a
Force Protection
Force protection (FP) refers to the concept of protecting military personnel, family members, civilians, facilities, equipment and operations from threats or hazards in order to preserve operational effectiveness and contribute to mission succe ...
unit based at
Moody Air Force Base
Moody Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force installation near Valdosta, Georgia.
Geography
The base is in northeastern Lowndes County, Georgia, with the eastern border of the base following the Lanier County line. Georgia State Rou ...
,
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to t ...
. The unit is a trained force protection unit of 12
Air Force Specialty Code
The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, known collectively as air, retained by Earth's gravity that surrounds the planet and forms its planetary atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing ...
s with an
airborne capability, and is intended to serve as a quick reaction force, capable of deploying anywhere in the world. Air Mobility Command also activated the Raven program, which attached Security Forces specialists to its aircraft to provide on-site security in hostile or remote environments.
After the
9/11 attacks
The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercia ...
in 2001, Security Forces prepared for additional attacks and combat operations, both in the United States and abroad. On 16 December 2001, airmen with the 786th Security Forces Squadron deployed to Manas International Airport, Kyrgyzstan, to provide security while the airbase was under construction, to support U.S. operations in Afghanistan. Three months later the 822nd Security Forces Squadron assumed the role, and conducted patrols outside the airbase to deter attack and build relations with local villagers.
On 19 March 2003 the United States invaded Iraq, and on the same day members of the 161st Security Forces Squadron arrived in country, securing the newly captured Tallil Air Base. On 26 March 2003, elements of the 786th Security Forces Squadron performed the first Security Forces combat jump in Air Force history, taking Bashur Air Base in conjunction with the Army's 173rd Airborne Brigade.
Throughout the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, Security Forces specialists, and airmen as a whole were pressed into more ground combat roles, to include running convoys. This resulted in the formation of
The Aerospace Expeditionary Force Transport Company. These companies were not divided into flights, but rather platoons, with the first, the 2632nd Aerospace Expeditionary Force Transport Company, deploying in April 2004. Some Security Forces specialists were also attached to Army and Marine infantry units to provide either manpower or military working dogs.
On 1 January 2005 Task Force 1041 was formed by elements of the 820th Security Forces Group to execute Operation Desert Safe Side. The objective was to conduct outside the wire "kill or capture" missions in one of the most violent areas of Iraq. At the end of the operation, they had reduced attacks on the local airbase to almost zero, while capturing 18 high-value targets, eight major weapons caches, and 98 other insurgent or terrorist targets. Units, such as the 824th Security Forces Squadron, were responsible for training Iraqi security forces. In Summer 2008 the 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron stood up at Balad Airbase, and for the first time since the Vietnam War a Security Forces Squadron assumed full responsibility for the security, both on and off base, of a major air base in a war zone.
On 28 September 2005, the 586th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron became the first combat Security Forces squadron to lose a member in Operation Iraqi Freedom when
A1C Elizabeth Jacobson was killed in action near Safwan, Basra Governorate, Iraq.
Uniform items
Blue beret
The
Strategic Air Command's Elite Guard, an Air Police unit first established in December 1956 to provide security at USAF SAC headquarters, was the first USAF unit officially authorized to wear a blue beret (with affixed SAC patch) in 1957 as part of their distinct Elite Guard uniform. The Elite Guard's dark blue serge wool beret was worn on duty, at both guard and ceremonial functions, from 1957 onwards.
In 1966–67, during Operation Safe Side, the first Security Police beret was issued by the 1041st Security Police Squadron. This experimental and specially trained Air Base Ground Defense (ABGD) unit adopted a light blue beret displaying a falcon as its emblem. Operation Safe Side developed into the 82nd Combat Security Police Wing, consisting of three "combat security police" squadrons, but was inactivated in December 1968, ending the unofficial use of the light blue beret.
Elsewhere, during the Vietnam War, although not an authorized uniform item, some local security police commanders approved a dark blue beret similar to the SAC Elite Guard beret for their units as a less-conspicuous alternative to the official white Security Police cover for certain specialized personnel. In Thailand during the late 1960s and early 1970s, Military Working Dog handlers assigned to the 6280th SPS at the
Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base sported a dark blue beret with no insignia. Other units adopted a beret to distinguish their guards.
In 1975 Brig Gen
Thomas Sadler was appointed Air Force Chief of Security Police with the task of bringing the Security Police career field into the mainstream of the Air Force. One tool he employed was recognition of members of a distinctive portion of the force, with the beret proposed as a uniform change. Significant opposition to the beret from senior colonels and Major Command (MAJCOM) Chiefs was gradually overcome by the popularity of the concept with personnel. The uniform board approved the proposal, and the beret was officially worn worldwide starting in February 1976.
The 1976 beret was worn with the MAJCOM crest of the appropriate major command to which the unit was assigned. It continued in this manner for 20 years until the forming of the Security Forces. In March 1997 the 82nd CSPW was reactivated and re-designated the
820th Security Forces Group
The '820th Base Defense Group'' is the United States Air Force's only first-in, fully-integrated, world-wide deployable, base defense capability currently based at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. The BDG (approximately 800 personnel) was act ...
. The heraldry of the 820th SFG then replaced the individual MAJCOM emblems as beret insignia.
Enlisted personnel wear the dark blue SF beret which bears the fabric SF "Flash" depicting a falcon over an airfield with the SF motto "''Defensor Fortis''", literally meaning "Strong Defender" but taken to mean "defender of the force" according to the Air Force, underneath. An officer's "Flash" is similar in appearance but replaces the embroidered falcon and airfield with either metal "pin-on" or embroidered rank.
Security Forces flash
The "Falcon over crossed runways" is derived from the 1041st Security Police Squadron of Operation SAFESIDE. This unit evolved into the 82nd Combat Security Police Wing with the mission of providing the Air Force with worldwide ground defense capability and became the base model for all modern USAF Security Forces. This symbol was adopted to represent this ground defense mission.
Recent events
Nuclear security forces
Nuclear Security Forces, or "nuke troops", train constantly in small unit tactics due to their lead responsibility in fighting off clandestine, special operations forces. This has included training such as "Blue Coach", which saw Security Forces training alongside US Navy SEALs and engaging OPFOR in training, defeating their Marine Corps attackers.
Changes to deployment length and training
Since March 2004 the Air Force has provided Security Forces airmen to serve in combat and in combat support roles alongside their sister service members while maintaining their Air Force identity. The Air Force calls such missions "in lieu of" taskings, or ILO for short.
In January 2006 Brig Gen
Robert Holmes, Director of Security Forces and Force Protection, stated, "We want to make our airmen more proficient, and to do that we need to adapt. We're going to change our training, our tactics and our procedures and the Air Force will be better for it." Brig Gen Holmes calls these transformations a "refocus" on how Security Forces train and fight. He elaborated, "We're not in the Cold War anymore; we have to alter our mentality and our practices for today's reality. Because of the nature of the threat, our airmen are fighting the global war on terror on the front lines, and we owe it to them to provide training, equipment and resources to be effective. Essentially, Security Forces will focus on preparing for their war-fighting mission at forward locations, as well as security at a fixed installation. Our airmen are going 'outside the wire' to conduct missions and are proving successful in keeping people safe." Gen. Holmes also said one of the transformation goals is bringing security forces back in step with standard Air Force 120-day deployments. He explained, "Right now our folks are going out for 179-day rotations. Our airmen need time to reconstitute and train. So it's important to get them in line with the rest of the Air Force. We aim to do just that." Overall, Brig Gen Holmes said the changes would make Security Forces more effective and relevant to Air Force needs in the face of the current changing nature of warfare.
In November 2007 it was announced that the Air Force was going to triple the number of Security Forces personnel in Iraq and
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bord ...
to back-fill Army and
Marine Corps
Marines, or naval infantry, are typically a military force trained to operate in littoral zones in support of naval operations. Historically, tasks undertaken by marines have included helping maintain discipline and order aboard the ship (refle ...
mission tasks.
In September 2010 the Air Force announced it was increasing all combat deployments to 179 days beginning in 2011. Lt. Col. Belinda Petersen, a spokeswoman for the Air Force Personnel Center, said the increase in deployment duration is an effort to "improve predictability and stability for airmen and their families." Peterson added that by revising the policy, airmen affected by the change will also "ideally" get more time at home. The dwell time for those airmen is expected to increase from 16 to 24 months. Despite these "improvements", Security Forces, civil engineers, contractors and intelligence are among the busiest in the Air Force, with six-month deployments, followed by only six months at home.
Frankfurt International Airport attack
On 2 March 2011, a
senior airman assigned to the 48th Security Forces Squadron at
Royal Air Force Lakenheath
Royal Air Force Lakenheath or RAF Lakenheath is a Royal Air Force station near the village of Lakenheath in Suffolk, England, UK, north-east of Mildenhall and west of Thetford. The base also sits close to Brandon.
Despite being an RAF stati ...
, England, and an
Airman 1st Class assigned to the 86th Vehicle Readiness Squadron at
Ramstein Air Base
Ramstein Air Base or Ramstein AB is a United States Air Force base in Rhineland-Palatinate, a state in southwestern Germany. It serves as headquarters for the United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA) and al ...
, Germany, were shot and killed by a 21-year-old Kosovo native of
Albanian descent, at
Frankfurt International Airport
Frankfurt Airport (; german: link=no, Flughafen Frankfurt Main , also known as ''Rhein-Main-Flughafen'') is a major international airport located in Frankfurt, the fifth-largest city of Germany and one of the world's leading financial centres. ...
, Germany. The shooter's relatives in
Kosovo
Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a partially recognised state in Southeast Eur ...
told the Associated Press that he was a devout Muslim and German federal prosecutors said they suspect he was motivated by extremist, Islamist ideology. A U.S. law enforcement official says the shooter shouted "
Allahu Akbar", or "God is Great" in Arabic, as he opened fire. The Air Force says most of the airmen attacked were part of a Security Forces team passing through Germany on their way to a deployment in Afghanistan. In addition to the two dead, two other airmen were wounded.
Global War on Terrorism: Operation Enduring Freedom casualties
Three Security Forces members have been killed in action while serving in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. On 5 September 2013 a SSgt assigned to the 105th Base Defense Squadron while attached to the 820th Base Defense Group, was killed by small-arms fire after his unit was ambushed and attacked by insurgents outside of
Bagram Airfield
Bagram Airfield-BAF, also known as Bagram Air Base , is located southeast of Charikar in the Parwan Province of Afghanistan. It is under the Afghan Ministry of Defense. Sitting on the site of the ancient Bagram at an elevation of above sea ...
.
On 21 December 2015, two
non-commissioned officers serving in the 105th Base Defense Squadron, part of the
New York Air National Guard's
105th Airlift Wing, were killed, along with four special agents with the
Department of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, outside of
Bagram Airfield
Bagram Airfield-BAF, also known as Bagram Air Base , is located southeast of Charikar in the Parwan Province of Afghanistan. It is under the Afghan Ministry of Defense. Sitting on the site of the ancient Bagram at an elevation of above sea ...
by a
suicide bomber
A suicide attack is any violent attack, usually entailing the attacker detonating an explosive, where the attacker has accepted their own death as a direct result of the attacking method used. Suicide attacks have occurred throughout history ...
utilizing a motorcycle.
Iraq War: Operation Iraqi Freedom casualties
As of 30 May 2011 12 Security Forces members have died while supporting
Operation Iraqi Freedom. These personnel total 22% of all Air Force casualties during OIF.
Operation Freedom's Sentinel casualties
On 2 October 2015 during
Operation Freedom's Sentinel, a senior airman and an airman 1st class were killed when their
C-130J
The Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft. The C-130J is a comprehensive update of the Lockheed C-130 Hercules, with new engines, flight deck, and other systems.
The C-130J is the newest v ...
, assigned to the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, crashed on takeoff while they performed Fly Away Security Operations.
Notable Airmen
*
Arthur "Bud" L. Andrews served as an Air Policeman for nearly 14 years. He became the seventh Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force and served as adviser to
United States Secretary of the Air Force
The secretary of the Air Force, sometimes referred to as the secretary of the Department of the Air Force, (SecAF, or SAF/OS) is the head of the Department of the Air Force and the service secretary for the United States Air Force and United ...
and
Chief of Staff of the Air Force on matters concerning welfare, effective utilization and progress of the enlisted members of the Air Force.
*
Ashli Babbitt
On January 6, 2021, Ashli Babbitt was fatally shot during an attack on the United States Capitol. She was part of a mob of supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump who breached the United States Capitol building seeking to overturn his defe ...
, who was shot in the Capital Building during the
January 6 United States Capitol attack
On January 6, 2021, following the defeat of then-United States President, U.S. President Donald Trump in the 2020 United States presidential election, 2020 presidential election, a mob of his supporters attacked the United States Capitol, U ...
. She'd spent 12 years as Security Forces in the Air Force, Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve, including deployments to Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait, and Qatar.
*
Ben Nighthorse Campbell was an Air Policeman stationed in
Korea
Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republi ...
during the Korean War. He is an
American politician who served in the
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and ...
and the
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together the ...
. For some time he was the only Native American serving in the
U.S. Congress.
*
Robert D. Gaylor served as the fifth
Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force.
*
Elizabeth Nicole Jacobson, a member of the United States Air Force Security Forces, was killed in action in the Iraq War in 2005. She was the first female U.S. airman killed in the line of duty in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and the first Air Force Security Forces member killed in conflict since the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
.
*
Bernard James,
NBA player, served as a security forces specialist assigned to the 9th Security Forces Squadron at
Beale Air Force Base
Beale Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force base located approximately east of Marysville, California. It is located outside Linda, about east of the towns of Marysville and Yuba City, and about north of Sacramento.
The ...
. During his service he was deployed to Iraq,
Qatar
Qatar (, ; ar, قطر, Qaṭar ; local vernacular pronunciation: ), officially the State of Qatar,) is a country in Western Asia. It occupies the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it ...
and Afghanistan.
*
Chuck Norris
Carlos Ray "Chuck" Norris (born March 10, 1940) is an American martial artist and actor. He is a black belt in Tang Soo Do, Brazilian jiu jitsu and judo. After serving in the United States Air Force, Norris won many martial arts championsh ...
, actor and martial-arts instructor, was an Air Policeman stationed in
Osan Air Base
Hanja:)
, partof =
, location =
, nearest_town = Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province
, country = South Korea
, image = Osan Air Base 51 FW F-16 A-10 Flyby.jpg
, alt = US Air Force F-16C Fighting Falcon and A- ...
,
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
, and
March Air Force Base, California, during his enlistment from 1958 to 1962. While stationed at Osan he acquired the nickname "Chuck" and began his training in
Tang Soo Do (tangsudo).
*
Richard Pennington, former
police chief for the
Atlanta Police Department and
New Orleans Police Department and Assistant Chief of the
Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia
The Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia (MPDC), more commonly known as the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), the DC Police, and, colloquially, the DCPD, is the primary law enforcement agency for the District of Columb ...
. Pennington served as a security policeman during the Vietnam War.
*
Hilliard A. Wilbanks
Hilliard Almond Wilbanks (July 26, 1933 – February 24, 1967) was a career officer and pilot in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War. He Posthumous recognition, posthumously received the Medal of Honor for sacrificing his life on F ...
, who received the
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor ...
during the Vietnam War, served as an air policeman before becoming a pilot.
See also
*
List of United States Air Force security forces squadrons
*
Department of the Air Force Police
*
732 ESFS/DET-3
*
United States Army Infantry Branch
United may refer to:
Places
* United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community
* United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community
Arts and entertainment Films
* ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film
* ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two fi ...
*
United States Army Military Police Corps
The United States Army Military Police Corps (USAMPC) is the uniformed law enforcement branch of the United States Army. Investigations are conducted by Military Police Investigators under the Provost Marshal General's Office or Special Agents ...
*
United States Navy Master-at-arms
United may refer to:
Places
* United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community
* United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community
Arts and entertainment Films
* ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film
* ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two fi ...
*
Department of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations
*
United States Air Force Security Forces Shield
The Air Force Security Forces Shield is a military badge of the United States Air Force Security Forces. Originally known as the "Air Police Shield" and the "Security Police Shield," the Air Force Security Forces Shield has existed since the ear ...
Other countries
*
RAAF
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
Airfield Defence Guards
Airfield Defence Guards (ADG) are a mustering of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) that are dedicated to the security and ground defence of airbases and other military aviation assets. Defence Jobs website Accessed on 22 June 2008 Other duti ...
– Australia
*
Fusiliers Commandos de l'Air - France
*
Air Gendarmerie – France
*
German Air Force Regiment – Germany
*
RNZAF Security Forces – New Zealand
*
Swedish Air Force Rangers
The Swedish Air Force Rangers (SAFR) ( sv, Flygbasjägarna, FBJ), is an elite specialist ground unit of the Swedish Air Force. The name "Flygbasjägare" originates in the unit's old role during the cold war of conducting security operations aroun ...
– Sweden
*
Polícia Aérea – Portugal
*
Sri Lanka Air Force Regiment
The Sri Lanka Air Force Regiment is a specialized ground combat corps within the Sri Lanka Air Force, responsible for capturing and defending airfields and associated installations. Its members are the SLAF Regiment Officers and the airmen of oper ...
- Sri Lanka
*
Royal Air Force Regiment
The Royal Air Force Regiment (RAF Regiment) is part of the Royal Air Force and functions as a specialist corps. Founded by royal warrant in 1942, the Corps carries out soldiering tasks relating to the delivery of air power. Examples of such tas ...
– United Kingdom
*
Royal Air Force Police
The Royal Air Force Police (RAFP) is the service police branch of the Royal Air Force, headed by the provost marshal of the Royal Air Force. Its headquarters are at RAF Honington and it deploys throughout the world to support RAF and UK defenc ...
- United Kingdom
Notes
References
Bibliography
*
External links
Official Air Force Security Forces websiteUnited States Air Force Special Operations Forces and Related Units
Official fact sheet
{{United States military law enforcement
Military police agencies of the United States
United States Air Force specialisms
Air force police agencies