Airmen from the 532nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron perform a force protection patrol Oct. 17, 2009, outside Joint Base Balad, Iraq. The 532nd ESFS patrols provide a security presence intended to deter anyone who would do harm to the people who live and work at the base. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Michael B. Keller)
Senior Airman Patrick Kelly test fires his .50 caliber machine gun prior to a force protection patrol Oct. 17, 2009, outside Joint Base Balad, Iraq. The 532nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron patrols to provide a security presence intended to deter anyone who would do harm to the people who live and work at the base. Airman Kelly is assigned to the 532nd ESFS. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Michael B. Keller)
Senior Airman Michael Emerson scans a field during a force protection patrol Oct. 17, 2009, outside Joint Base Balad, Iraq. Members of the 532nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron patrol to provide a security presence intended to deter anyone who would do harm to the people who live and work at the base. Airman Emerson is assigned to the 532nd ESFS. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Michael B. Keller)
Staff Sgt. Justin Rush secures his helmet prior to a force protection patrol Oct. 17, 2009, outside Joint Base Balad, Iraq. Members of the 532nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron patrol to provide a security presence intended to deter anyone who would do harm to the people who live and work at the base. Sergeant Rush is assigned to the 532nd ESFS. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Michael B. Keller)
Airmen from the 532nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron search a field during a force protection patrol Oct. 17, 2009, outside Joint Base Balad, Iraq. Members of the 532nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron patrol to provide a security presence intended to deter anyone who would do harm to the people who live and work at the base. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Michael B. Keller)
Airmen from the 532nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron search a field during a force protection patrol Oct. 17, 2009, outside Joint Base Balad, Iraq. Members of the 532nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron patrol to provide a security presence intended to deter anyone who would do harm to the people who live and work at the base. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Michael B. Keller)
by Staff Sgt. J.G. Buzanowski
U.S. Air Force Central combat camera team
10/27/2009 - JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq (AFNS) -- For some Airmen, its keep your friends close and your enemies as far away from your base as possible.
Every day, the 532nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron's force protection patrols travel outside of Joint Base Balad to provide a security presence that aims to deter anyone who would do harm to the people who live and work here.
By patrolling the fields, farmlands and neighboring villages, it's a lot more difficult for insurgents to get close enough to the launch mortars or rockets at the base, said Capt. Lucas Hall, the officer in charge of the force protection patrol section.
"We've had a 52 percent reduction in indirect fire and a 40 percent reduction in small-arms fire at overhead aircraft since last year," said Captain Hall, deployed from Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. "We're directly contributing to making this area of Iraq a lot safer with these patrols. It's all about denying terrain to our enemies."
The Airmen have also captured a myriad of weapons caches and discovered numerous improvised explosive devices before they could be used against coalition forces.
The program draws inspiration from Operation Safe Side, a security forces mission during Vietnam that called for Airmen to defend air bases in Southeast Asia, Captain Hall said.
The patrols "provide a positive presence," the captain said. The Airmen regularly talk to local Iraqis face-to-face, instead of just riding through villages in convoys -- a practice consistent with their training in counterinsurgency techniques, Iraqi culture, and basic Arabic language.
Tech. Sgt. Emmett Mack III, a squad leader, said Iraqis who live near the base are reassured by the patrols as well.
"They don't want violence in their villages and homes, so if we're friendly with them, they're more likely to work with us," said Sergeant Mack, deployed from Andrews AFB, Md. "We talk to the locals, and if they have needs that aren't being met, we work with the Army teams who are handling that aspect of the mission. But our job helps them as well as us."
Senior Airman Brendan Cunniff, deployed from Holloman AFB, N.M., has seen the effect of working directly with the locals during combat patrols. He's a turret gunner on his third deployment to Joint Base Balad, his fourth overall.
"We don't get mortared nearly as much as we used to," Airman Cunniff said. "A lot of that is because of these patrols. (Locals) see us every day and if people know you, they're less likely to want to see you get hurt."
Force protection patrols are an essential part of the security plan at Joint Base Balad, Sergeant Mack said. "We all have a mission to do. Ours is to keep everyone safe so they can do theirs'."
Comments
10/29/2009 10:06:54 AM ET Don't do that or everyone will notice that they don't have thier pants tucked in or they aren't bloused at all. Hmmmm. BTW, that is sarcasim. Do whatever you need to do to make it functional.
Pete, MHAFB
10/29/2009 9:29:34 AM ET SF is not the only ones doing that kind of stuff. It is also CE too. Keep that in mind.
K.S., Iraq
10/28/2009 1:53:58 PM ET I am glad to see that the Security Forces are using training that was developed years ago. We attempted to instill this training in our folks when the U.S. Air Force Security Forces Academy used Camp Bullis TX to train our Security Forces several years back. Many of the cadre were former Safe Side members. Great job Keep it Safe
Daryl G. Allen, Eglin AFB FL
10/28/2009 11:26:39 AM ET Someone should forward those pictures to the uniform board and remind them not all Airmen work in a office with blue carpet blue office furniture and sky blue walls. Those SF guys earn every dollar they get wearing that uniform outside the wire
