Force protection Airmen add another layer of armor in base defense

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Andria J. Allmond
  • 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq (AFNS) --  Composed of Airmen from 60 different Air Force specialties, the 332nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron force protection unit here aids in defending the base against hostile actions inside the wire.

Force protection escorts are charged with monitoring and safeguarding local and third country nationals working on base - a task that, without FPs, would be performed by security forces Airmen.

"Our team mission is to make sure we have 100 percent accountability of third-country nationals and local nationals here," said Staff Sgt. Matthew Bickel, an FP trainer. "This applies to restricted areas as well as other areas that might be sensitive. We make sure they're not gathering or transmitting critical information."

Sergeant Bickel said the FP Airmen provide a high standard of protection for all personnel at Joint Base Balad.

The roughly 150 Airmen in the FP unit come from a variety of career backgrounds, including finance, radio communications and firefighting. Some find their deployed mission a stark contrast to the one associated with their specialty badge. For others, their home station experience assists them in their force protection function.

"The different (Air Force specialty codes) that you see come into here all contribute something," said Airman 1st Class Hursel Johnson. "With my normal job being fuels, I know the flightline really well. Working on it all day, I know the rules and how to drive on it. Therefore while watching these guys and escorting them (on the flightline), I make sure they drive correctly. By doing this, I maintain the security there."

Most Airmen slated to arrive into the force protection unit receive special training at home station, said Staff Sgt. Joseph Salazar, a force protection member. But, in order to prepare them for work on approximately 15 diverse on-base sites that vary over time, the FPs receive more training upon arriving at Joint Base Balad.

"We aim to have their training completed within three days after getting off the plane," Sergeant Bickel said. "They receive guidance in areas like vehicle and personnel searches, asp-baton training, weapons familiarization, and use of force."

Tech. Sgt. Steven Conard, the 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron training NCO in charge, helps ensure the new force protectors are also trained by the cops whose workload the FP's supplement.

"There are specific things cops do that force protection is also expected to do," Sergeant Conard said. "We help facilitate them in getting that sort of training, so they can execute those duties without there being a lot more (security forces) badges on base."

Master Sgt. Cynthia Ramos, the NCO in charge of FP, said the training, hard work and responsibility of maintaining security downrange may be something her Airmen take and apply to their work at their stateside duty locations.

"I think what they do here might affect what they do back at home station," said the master sergeant. "They are taking home what they know from their time here and what they learn here. A lot of the career fields don't have the opportunity to deploy. Having this time in-theater provides a lot of experience to take home and use. Being here, especially doing this job, allows them to really understand the military's mission."