RAF Mildenhall Gateway to the United Kingdom

Greetings Fellow Defenders & Defensor Fortis & Hu-ah and HOO-rah! I am Sgt Rice. I did not even know we had an association for Air Force police. I am now happy to part of it and grateful to Colonel Probst and all at the AFSFA Inc. I put RAF mildenhall in the subject line because that is where I first started learning about the life of Air Force police. I have lived in so many places like so many of us. And Mildenhall was one of my favorite bases. Most of the SP and LE were only a couple or more years older than me. They had come out of high school and college and made the Air Force their home and Air Force police their career. Even as a high school kid I noticed that cops always looked sharp,did their job sharp and garnered lots of respect. In 1984 I decided that's what I wanted to do. I enlisted in the DEP (delayed entry) program and in March 1984 found myself headed to Texas on that big iron bird. I went to BMT then to Police academy where one of my STA's a former US Army Ranger Mark Penland gave me a rare 341 for excellence for my 35-10. I also went on to be selected as a M-60 machine gun specialist.This set me in motion to my first assignment Hahn AB Germany in Dec 1984. At Hahn I distinguished myself on day flight A FLT, Airmen of the month, Airmen of the Quarter, Senior Airmen Below the Zone: early promotion to Buck Sgt and supervision of two troops. One of my troops Jon Hopper went on to become a Lieutenant in the Graysville Meth Task force and he also ran for police Chief in his department. His brick and my brick are in Dayton,OH and at one time I was trying to join the USMC and did pass the PFT in Columbia SC when I was 37 years of age HOO-rah!

Welcome! I was at Hahn from 82-86 and I was at Mildenhall in the mid 70's too. Mildenhall was also my favorite assignment. If there is anything e can do for you, just give a holler. Hope to see you at the conference in Sacramento in August 2018 and San Antonio in 2019!!! John Lynch

Defender Lynch you sure can help me! Firstly, thank you for your service God Bless & God Speed Defensor Fortis !!! You can write a letter to the Air Force Times like I did and ask that the UK keep RAF Mildenhall open into the future and not close it in 2020 which may happen! I can send my letter I wrote and it was published if you want to see it? I also am trying to contact the MPs (Members of Parliament) that govern that Esat Angli/Suffolk area and I am a supporter and donor to Sentebale (Prince's Trust of Prince Harry & Prince Seeiso). I for one hate to see the base just close it was part of my childhood and many of my mates! Cheers Mr. Lynch & Taah rah (this is my email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and I am alumni of RAF Lakenheath American school class of 1980)