‘Sky Cops’ Protect Bases, Bombers, Missile Fields, And Take On New Roles

American Shooting Journal, 14 May 2016
Guardians of the Air Force Part II of II
STORY BY TROY TAYSOM
Editor’s note: Part I in this series last issue covered the U.S. Air Force’s Office of Special Investigations. 

The United States Air Force is a unique service for a multitude of reasons. It was the first branch of the service to allow women into combat roles (security police) and has an entire career field dedicated to protecting air bases, aircraft, Air Force personnel and nuclear weapons. All of the other services require individual units to provide security for themselves, i.e. an Army aviation unit’s members, including her mechanics, are armed and trained as riflemen. In the Air Force, only one group is trained in the art of Air Base Ground Defense (ABGD).

Chuck Norris started his martial arts training when he was an air policeman in Korea. Besides Norris, the “Sky Cops” have a storied past full of unsung heroes, hard-fought battles and the distinction that not a single air base was ever overrun during the Vietnam War – and not for lack of trying on the North Vietnamese’s part either. It has taken nearly 70 years for this career field to gain its true identity. Here is that story.

POST WORLD WAR II 

In 1947 when the Air Force was officially separated from the Army, the need to protect not only the aircraft but now a cache of nuclear weapons became paramount. The old-time bomber pilot and commander Curtis LeMay saw the need for a unit to function like the infantry, but on Air Force bases. These airmen needed to be versed in the use of small arms, crew-served weapons, and squad- (fire team in the Air Force), platoon- (called a flight) and company- (called a squadron) level tactics. These units needed to be highly specialized in the deterrence and detection of unauthorized people or groups attempting to access a base (especially ones with nuclear missions) or missile field. The Strategic Air Command led the way in developing their APs into highly trained soldier airmen, known unofficially as “SAC Trained Killers.”

During the Korean War, very few air bases came under attack. The APs were basically law enforcement on the base and guarded aircraft. No tactical plans had been implemented, let alone training for a base attack. The Air Force was lucky, but their luck would be tested mightily in the next go-around. The SAC model wasn’t followed by units in Korea, as the nuclear weapons were kept stateside.

VIETNAM 

As the Vietnam War ramped up in the 1960s, so did the need for the Air Force’s presence in and around America’s ally in Southeast Asia. The U.S. focused most of its air bases in South Vietnam and Thailand, with others further away in places like Guam and the Philippines. Those bases located on the mainland endured the greatest risk of attack, as they sat close to enemy forces. Amazingly enough, few of the Air Force bases came under attack in the beginning years of the war. The tactics and mindset were still very Korean War-oriented. Many APs arrived at bases in Southeast Asia to find no weapons had been sent for them to use. Other bases had WWII leftovers – Browning Automatic Rifles (BARs), .30-caliber Browning machineguns, grease guns, Colt .45 ACP 1911s and M1 Carbines.

I spoke with Senior Master Sergeant Pete Piazza (retired) at length about what the Sky Cops (as they were lovingly dubbed) endured from 1966-72. Piazza served three tours of duty in Vietnam as an AP and then as a SP. He witnessed firsthand the Air Force go from no real idea of how to defend a base to being awarded the Silver Star for his actions at Bien Hoa Air Base on Jan. 31, 1968, during the Tet Offensive.

Piazza took charge of his bunker when his leader, Capt. Maisey, was killed by a rocket. A staff sergeant at the time, he spent the next eight hours running through heavy machinegun fire, rockets and sniper fire to keep his men fully supplied with much-needed ammunition and water. Piazza was quick to educate me on a couple of little known facts.

“Ninety percent of the SPs that were at Air Force bases when Tet started had never seen combat,” he told me.

badges
Air police, security police, security forces – the protectors of our country’s air bases and overseas assets have had several names, but the job they’ve done has never wavered. (TROY TAYSOM)

He also said something that intrigued me: “The Air Force was the only branch of the service that didn’t have one of their bases overrun by the enemy.”

Why was that? Men just like Piazza. But ask him and he’ll say, “I was just doing what everybody else was doing.” While humility is the true sign of a hero, I will have to disagree with Pete on this one. Silver Stars aren’t just handed out, especially to enlisted USAF airmen.

Undoubtedly, there were others who performed as bravely as Piazza did on that January day so long ago. I can’t possibly find and speak to them all; some, including his direct supervisor, Capt. Maisey, were killed on that day and in the days to come as Tet raged on. Piazza certainly wasn’t part of any “chair force.” He was every bit an infantryman that day as Audie Murphy and Chesty Puller.

Ask any soldier and he or she will tell you: Whoever owns the night has the advantage. The SPs were some of the first units in the Vietnam War to receive ANTVS-2 scopes, nicknamed “Starlight” because of their use of ambient star and moon light. These scopes were some of the first real attempts at night vision and changed the face of war forever. The riflemounted scope gave the user night vision out to 400 meters, while a crew-served weapons version, the ANPVS-4, worked out to 1,000, and an off-weapon version, the ANPVS-5, allowed sight out to 1,500 meters. For those airmen who had them, night shifts became a little less nerve racking.

One asset was in great supply, and gave the SPs another advantage at night – military working dogs, MWDs or K9s. The Sky Cops would walk the perimeter at night with their dogs. The SPs couldn’t see any better just because they had a dog, but the dogs could sense the presence of intruders, and on more than one occasion they stopped enemy sappers before they had the chance to breach the perimeter fence. For whatever reason, the Viet Cong also had a healthy fear of these K9s and kept their distance as word spread of their presence on the air bases. At the height of the K9 program, in January 1967, there were 476 dogs deployed. The dog handlers carried a special version of the M16, called the GAU-5/A. It was shorter and allowed the handler to control the dog and fire the rifle one-handed if needed.

It wasn’t until after Tet that the Air Force wrote its first definitive, battle-tested, air-base ground defense manual to be used in the years ahead – especially during the Cold War.

THE MAYAGUEZ INCIDENT 

On May 12, 1975, Cambodian naval ships captured the S.S. Mayaguez, a U.S. merchant marine ship, in international waters. Negotiations broke down and a rescue mission was planned. The closest unit with combat experience was the 56th Security Police Squadron stationed at Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand. After the CH-53 Knife helicopters plus some HH-53 choppers left the base, Knife 13 disappeared from radar 40 miles out. It is widely thought that mechanical issues caused the crash. All 18 security policemen and four crew members and a linguist died.

Moments before take-off, a picture of the ill-fated Sky Cops in Knife 13 was taken. Thirty minutes later all 23 passengers were dead. The image leaves a haunting legacy of sacrifice and how short life can be in a combat zone.

COLD WAR

As the Cold War heated up, America’s nuclear arsenal followed suit. Most nuclear assets came under the purview of the USAF, and more specifically SAC. SAC was the brain child of LeMay and was arguably the best run major command in the Air Force. SAC operated bases for bombers capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as bases that supported missile field operations. These wings were subject to remarkably stringent inspections, the failure of which would result in the firing of the senior staff of the wing.

sniper
The USAF was the first branch of the military to deploy female snipers and has since trained multiple women in this role. (USAF)

The SPs were responsible for several missions on SAC bases: the protection of the weapons storage areas, where the nukes were stored; and the physical guarding of the B-52s and KC-135s, air refuelers, that were on “alert.” Being on alert required the aircrews to live in a special facility next to the aircraft. At the sound of the klaxon, the crews rushed to their aircraft and were ready for take-off to top secret destinations. The SPs guarded all of these locations, day and night, 24/7/365. At places like Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota, guard duty tested one’s desire to be a cop.

Missile fields also demanded the attention of the SPs. These fields were vast and remote. Cops worked seven days straight, often living out of campers attached to the back of pick-up trucks. The missile fields weren’t located in tropical locales either. They were spread across states like Montana, Kansas, Wyoming and South Dakota. Working conditions for the cops were less than ideal; in fact, at times the conditions resembled the Arctic Circle more than the continental United States. But defend these locations the SPs did, and to this day, still do. In 1997 security police career fields of law enforcement and security specialist were merged into one field and renamed Security Forces. This change gave the cops more flexibility in manning assignments, as well as providing cross training.

MODERN-DAY WAR ON TERROR

The USAF’s modern-day Security Forces function even more like infantry units than the cops in the past. They have all the weapons of the infantry – the M240, M249B, M4, M9, M203, 81mm mortars and M24 sniper systems. They are the first service to deploy female snipers and have now trained multiple women in this role.

ravens 
Couple of Ravens in back of C-17 Aircraft – Photo by J Hines

The Air Force’s cops continue to become a “high speed, low drag” group. They have a squadron that is airborne qualified, stationed in Georgia. This group of cops even made a combat jump with the Army into Iraq. Air Mobility Command has also developed a group called the Ravens. In this group of Security Forces, airmen accompany aircraft into dangerous regions of the world where there is no on ground security for the aircraft. These men and women travel the world providing security for these USAF assets and serve as Force Protection advisors to aircrew members. Other major commands have similar.

guard
In addition to guarding U.S. Air Force missile fields, “Sky Cops” also protect the nation’s bomber fleet. Here, Airman 1st Class Arlando Budd, assigned to the 509th Security Forces Squadron, provides security near a B-2 Spirit at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo. (SENIOR AIRMAN NICK WILSON, USAF)

The Air Force continues to change with the times. It just so happens that the “Sky Cops” are leading the way when it comes to installation, asset, nuclear and personnel security. The lessons learned in the Jungles of Vietnam and Thailand, as well as the lessons of the Cold War in Europe and the frozen missile fields and bomber facilities of America are the foundation under which the new generation of Sky Cops continue to grow and evolve. ASJ

Article republished with permission of ASJ. Visit the ASJ web site and original article here: http://americanshootingjournal.com/guardians-air-force-part-ii-ii/

nleomfcandles

Last night the National Mall in Washington D.C. was a sea of candles held by thousands of law enforcement officers, their families and friends to pay tribute to officers who lost their lives in the line of duty.

The candlelight vigil, a powerful and moving ceremony, is part of National Police Week and during the ceremony 252 fallen officers names were read aloud. Their names have been added to National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.

bg_jlemm bonacasa

Of those honored last night were 123 officers who were killed in 2015 two of which were United States Air Force Security Forces members. Brig Gen Allen J. Jamerson stepped to the microphone on the stage to read the names ... TSgt Joesph G. Lemm and SSgt Louis M. Bonacasa.

Another 129 officers who died in previous years but had not previously been recognized were also added to the memorial this year.

Attorney General Loretta Lynch; Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson; president of Concerns of Police Survivors, Brenda Donner; and President of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, Craig Floyd were guest speakers who both opened and closed the ceremony.

candleAFSFA was present and Jim Saulnier graciously provided these pictures.

God Bless our Defenders and their families forever.

best_sf_units2015 AF OUTSTANDING SECURITY FORCES (SF) UNIT AWARD WINNERS

I AM EXTREMELY PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE FOLLOWING UNITS HAVE BEEN SELECTED AS THE 2015 OUTSTANDING SECURITY FORCES UNIT AWARD WINNERS.  THESE AWARDS RECOGNIZE THE EXTRAORDINARY CONTRIBUTIONS SECURITY FORCES UNITS AND THEIR PERSONNEL HAVE MADE TO THE US AIR FORCE.

A.  OUTSTANDING SF "AIR RESERVE COMPONENT" AWARD WINNER:  105 BDS, ANG, NEWBURGH, NY LED BY MAJ ALTA CAPUTO AND CMSGT MARC SOMMERS

B.  OUTSTANDING SF "SMALL CATEGORY" AWARD WINNER:  66 SFS, AFMC, HANSCOM AFB, MA LED BY MAJ JOSEPH BINCAROUSKY AND CMSGT GERALD NUNES JR

C.  OUTSTANDING SF "MEDIUM CATEGORY" AWARD WINNER:  19 SFS, AMC, LITTLE ROCK AFB, AR LED BY MAJ GREGORY BODENSTEIN AND CMSGT DONNIE BOLTON

D.  OUTSTANDING SF "LARGE CATEGORY" AWARD WINNER:  99 SFS, ACC, NELLIS AFB, NV LED BY LT COL JOSEPH RINGER AND CMSGT PAUL SCHAAF II

THESE AWARDS BRING MUCH DESERVED CREDIT TO THE AWARD WINNERS, THEIR INSTALLATIONS AND THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE.  SINCERE CONGRATULATIONS GO TO ALL THE NOMINEES AND THE WINNERS FOR THEIR SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS.

 

ALLEN J. JAMERSON, Brig Gen, USAF
Director of Security Forces
DCS/Logistics, Engineering & Force Protection

CMSgt Jason L. France, current Command Chief Master Sergeant, Air Force Sustainment Center, Air Force Materiel Command, Tinker AFB, OK has been selected to be the next Command Chief Master Sergeant, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH. Congrats Chief ... well done! HOOAH!!

cmsgt_franceCMSGT JASON L. FRANCE
Chief Master Sergeant Jason L. France is Command Chief Master Sergeant for the Air Force Sustainment Center, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma.  He is the senior enlisted leader for 3,700 enlisted personnel assigned to three air logistics complexes, three air base wings, two supply chain wings, and multiple remote operating locations worldwide.  He is responsible for the combat readiness, professional development and training, effective utilization, and health, morale, and welfare of all assigned enlisted personnel.  Additionally, Chief France ensures the strategic focus and synchronized efforts of 35,000 military and civilian Airmen and 75,000 personnel working in 140 associate units across the Sustainment Center's three bases.

Chief France was born in Oak Harbor, Washington and graduated from Oak Harbor High School in 1989.  He entered the Air Force in February 1990 and graduated the Law Enforcement Specialist Course in June 1990.  His background includes various duties in Security Forces and he has held numerous leadership roles at squadron, group, wing, sub-unified command, and air staff levels.  Before assuming his current position in June 2015, Chief France served as the Superintendent of the Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Air Force's Executive Action Group, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.

EDUCATION
1995 Airman Leadership School, Little Rock AFB, AR
2001 Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice, Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell AFB, AL
2004 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Lackland AFB, TX
2008 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell AFB, AL
2011 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education Correspondence Course
2011 Chief's Leadership Course, Maxwell AFB, AL
2013 Keystone Command Senior Enlisted Leadership Course, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
2013 Professional Manager Certification, Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell AFB, AL
2014 Air Force Enterprise Perspective Seminar, Allan L. Freed Associates, Washington, D.C.
2014 Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Management, Ashford University, Clinton, IA
2014 Air Force Enterprise Leadership Seminar, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
2015 Air Force Forces Senior Staff Course, Hurlburt Field, FL

ASSIGNMENTS
1.  August 1990 -  November 1991, Military Working Dog Handler, 47th Security Police Squadron, Laughlin AFB, Texas
2.  November 1991 - November 1992, Military Working Dog Handler, 51st Security Police Squadron, Osan AB, Republic of Korea
3.  November 1992 - November 1994, Military Working Dog Handler, 24th Security Police Squadron, Howard AFB, Panama
4.  November 1994 - December 1998, Military Working Dog Handler, 314th Security Forces Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Ark. (June 1995 - September 1995, Military Working Dog Handler, Joint Task Force 160, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba) (July 1997 - November 1997, Kennel Master, 4406th  Security Forces Squadron, Ahmed Al Jaber AB, Kuwait) (August 1998 - December 1998, Military Working Dog Handler, 4409th Security Forces Squadron, Eskan Village, Saudi Arabia)
5.  December 1998 - October 2002, Instructor, Military Working Dog, Security Forces Headquarters & Leadership, and Phoenix Raven Courses, 421st Ground Combat Readiness Squadron, Fort Dix, N.J. (December 2001 - February 2002, Army Liaison and Security Coordinator, 621st Air Mobility Operations Squadron, Bagram AB, Afghanistan)
6.  October 2002 - October 2005, Force Protection Superintendent, Operations NCO, Headquarters, Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C. (February 2003 - April 2003, Tactical Security Advisor, Joint Special Operations Task Force, United States Special Operations Command, Ar Ar AB, Saudi Arabia & Baghdad International Airport, Iraq) (May 2003 - September 2005, Multiple deployments in CENTCOM as Tactical Security Advisor and Operations NCO in support of Joint Special Operations Task Forces)
7.  October 2005 - November 2007, Flight Sergeant, Operations NCOIC, 822nd Security Forces Squadron, Moody AFB, Ga. (January 2006 - June 2006, Flight Sergeant, 506th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, Kirkuk AB, Iraq) (May 2007 - November 2007, Operations Superintendent, 887th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, Camp Bucca, Iraq)
8.  November 2007 - July 2009, Operations Superintendent, 820th Security Forces Group, Moody AFB, Ga.
9.  July 2009 - April 2011, Security Forces Manager, Directorate Superintendent, Security Directorate, Department of the Air Force, Data Masked
10. April 2011 - September 2012, Security Forces Manager, 99th Ground Combat Training Squadron, Creech AFB, Nev.
11. September 2012 - March 2014, Command Chief Master Sergeant, 75th Air Base Wing, Hill AFB, Utah
12. March 2014 - June 2015, Superintendent, Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Air Force Executive Action Group, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
13. June 2015 - present, Command Chief Master Sergeant, Air Force Sustainment Center, Tinker AFB, Okla

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Army Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with eight oak leaf clusters

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
Distinguished Graduate Award, Airman Leadership School
Distinguished Graduate Award, Noncommissioned Officer Academy
Distinguished Graduate Award, Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy
U.S. Army Ranger School
U.S. Army Airborne School
U.S. Army Advanced Airborne (Jumpmaster) School
Master Parachutist Rating
U.S. Navy and Marine Corps Parachutist Badge
German Parachutist Badge
Romanian Parachutist Badge

EFFECTIVE DATE OF PROMOTION
Chief Master Sergeant   Nov. 2011
(Current as of June 2015)

CMSgt Tamala L. Hartz has been selected to follow CMSgt Stephen K. White as the Security Forces Career Field Manager taking her position this summer. Below is her biography and photo. Congrats Chief from all of AFSFA!

chief_hartzChief Master Sergeant Tamala L. Hartz is the Security Forces Manager, Force Protection Directorate, United States Air Forces Central Command (USAFCENT), Southwest Asia. In this capacity, she advises the Force Protection Director on effective organization, training and equipping of 4,000 Security Forces Airmen and mentors a 50-person staff comprised of four Air Force Specialty Codes providing full spectrum protection to more than 27,000 deployed USAF personnel. She also oversees integrated defense of 19 USAFCENT sites spanning 11 countries, protecting over $20 billion in combat resources. Additionally Chief Hartz fulfills the role of the Air Force Forces Command Senior Enlisted Leader.

Chief Hartz, a native of Greeley, Colorado, entered the Air Force in August 1990 and has held numerous positions at the Group, Wing and MAJCOM levels. Before  assuming her current position she served as Chief Enlisted Manager, 343d Training Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio Lackland, Texas.

EDUCATION
1995   Airman Leadership School, Lowry AFB, Denver, CO 1997 Air Base Ground Defense Level II, Lackland AFB, TX 1998 Military Police Investigation Course, Fort McClellan, AL 1999   Traffic Accident Investigation Course, Lackland AFB, TX
2000  Tactical Automated Security System Administrator Course, Lackland AFB, TX 2003 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Keesler AFB, MS (Distinguished Graduate) 2005  Associate in applied science degree in Criminal Justice, Community College of the Air Force
2005 Integrated Defense Command and Control Course, Lackland AFB, TX 2007  Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education
2007 USAF Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell AFB, AL 2011  USAF Chief Leadership Course, Maxwell AFB, AL
2015 Bachelor of Arts Degree, Organizational Management, Ashford University, Clinton, Iowa (summa cum laude)
2015 Professional Managers Certification, Community College of the Air Force

ASSIGNMENTS
1. Jan 1991 – Aug 1996, Security Forces Member, 821st Security Police Squadron, Buckley ANG Base, Colorado
2. Nov 1995 – Mar 1996, Security Forces Detachment, Joint Task Force PROVIDE PROMISE FORWARD, Camp Pleaso, Zagrab, Croatia
3. Aug 1996 – Apr 1997, NCOIC, Armory, 8th Security Police Squadron, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea
4. Apr 1997- Aug 2000, NCOIC, Security Forces Administration, 820th Security Forces Group, Lackland AFB, Texas
5. Aug 2000 – Jun 2003, Flight Chief/NCOIC, Training, 28th Security Forces Squadron, Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota
6. May 2004 – Oct 2004- Area Supervisor/NCOIC of Training, 363d Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, Prince Sultan AB, Saudi Arabia
7. Jun 2003 – Jul 2005, Flight Chief, 7th Security Forces Squadron, Dyess AFB, Texas
8. Apr 2004 – Oct 2004, Flight Sergeant, 376th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, Manas AB, Kyrgyzstan
9. Jul 2005 – Apr 2008, Regional Training Center Superintendent, 786th Security Forces Squadron, Sembach AB, Germany
10. Apr 2008 – Apr 2010, Operations Superintendent, 1st Security Forces Squadron, Langley AFB, Virginia
11. Apr 2009 – Dec 2009, Provost Sergeant, Combined Joint Task Force -101 & 82, Bagram AF, Afghanistan
12. Apr 2010 – Sep 2011, Manager, Security Forces Training, HQ ACC, Langley AFB, Virginia
13. Sep 2011 – Aug 2012, Security Forces Manager, 97th Security Forces Squadron, Altus AFB, Oklahoma
14. Sep 2013 – Aug 2015, Chief Enlisted Manager, 343d Training Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio Lackland, Texas
15. Aug 2015 - present, Security Forces Manager, Force Protection Directorate, United States Air Forces Central Command, Al Udeid AB, Southwest  Asia

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with a silver oak leaf cluster and two bronze oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1992  Aurora Chamber of Commerce Military Person of the Year
1993  Air Force Space Command Security Police-Security Specialist of the Year
1995 21st Space Wing, Outstanding Security Police Airman of the Year-Security Specialist 2003  Distinguished Graduate, NCO Academy
2006 86th Contingency Response Group Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year 2007 USAFE Security Forces Staff Level Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year 2008  1st Mission Support Group Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year

EFFECTIVE DATE OF PROMOTION
August 1, 2011

 

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