Every new Airman receives training to defend base

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Ashley Coomes
  • 319th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
The guards at the front gate protect every Airmen, family members and asset on base. The few guard the many.

"Security has always been everyone's responsibility," said Chief Master Sgt. Daniel Vital, 319th Security Forces Squadron.

Now every first-term Airman receives mandatory training for security forces augmentation.

"The days of relying on one person to do the job is over. The more we are educated, the better we can defend ourselves," said Chief Vital.

We are at nine different deployed locations supporting numerous missions. We would be unable to support a single operation or provide security to combat forces without the assistance of wing Airmen, said Chief Vital.

Every Airman is trained in combat expeditionary skills at Basic Military Training, although, some will receive additional training depending on their job.

We take what they know already and expand it, said Chief Vital. Then, we give them real world on-the-job training.

First-term Airmen go through a two-week combat expeditionary skills course with integrated base defense training to ready them for augmenting security forces. They have classroom time to learn the skills, then they apply the skills through drills and exercises.

They are taught to deploy weapons systems and employ high tech surveillance and counter measure equipment for installation security. They are also taught to recognize threats to base, resources or people. They learn the skill of applying force, including deadly force if necessary, said Chief Vital.

Once the Airmen learn the skills, they augment the security forces squadron to get on-the-job training.

"What they do is not cop training," said Chief Vital. "We provide expeditionary training, which everyone needs. It's smarter to have 3,000 defenders versus 200 defenders."