Airman 1st Class Stephen Becker checks his target during a training session July 13, 2010, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. Air Force and Army law enforcement personnel, both civilian and military, have successfully combined operations since the JBER merger in 2010. Becker is assigned to the 673rd Security Forces Squadron. (U.S. Air Force courtesy photo)
by Staff Sgt. Jeremy Larlee
Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Public Affairs
8/22/2011 - JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska (AFNS) -- More than 10 months after the former Elmendorf Air Force Base and Fort Richardson merged to form Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson; the 673d Security Forces Squadron is running on all cylinders, officials here said.
Capt. Melissa Hull, the 673rd Security Forces operations officer, said it was a challenge at first to blend the Air Force security forces and Army military police personnel together.
"We went into the merger knowing that the first few months would be a learning experience," she said. "We wanted to fit into that happy medium where we able to use both service's regulations and not completely ostracize one side."
The captain said one advantage was the joint experience gleaned from previous deployments of security forces personnel.
"Being in security forces, you work with the Army a lot when you are deployed," she said. "So we were familiar with the way they do things, and we were able to work together well."
Hull said the variety of capabilities present at JBER keep security forces and military police personnel on their toes.
"It is a unique challenge here with all the different missions and tenant units we have," she said. "All the preparation we did beforehand helped a lot. It required a lot of on the job training."
The security forces and military policemen's ability to work together was tested by a major incident just two days before the official formation of JBER.
Hull said that the response following the crash of a C-17 Globemaster III in July 2010 proved to her that the Air Force and Army would have no problems fitting together as one team.
"We were able to work together easily and it really built our confidence," she said. "It appeared like we were already joined together."
The captain said the merger has been a success because of the high quality people on the Air Force and Army sides. She said civilians on both were vital; since they had many years of experience. Positive can-do attitudes from personnel of both services also made the transition into one team mostly painless, she said.
Both sides had a lot of personnel with experience, and they helped the process quite a bit," she said. "We are now a one big group of professionals with no real issues."
