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Under watchful eye Grissom Airmen step up to defend base

  • Published
  • By By Staff Sgt. Ben Mota
  • 434th ARW Public Affairs
GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. --  The right attitude fueled by the wingman concept led more than two dozen Airmen to accept a challenge that was far from their primary duties in order to keep Grissom safe. 

Twenty-five reservists from around the 434th Air Refueling Wing recently took part in a week-long security forces augmentee training here designed to hone their combat training skills and help aid the 434th Security Forces Squadron during various missions.

"A positive attitude with a warrior mindset is not optional," said Master Sgt. Robert Delee, 434th Security Forces assistant training manager. "These augmentees will work side-by-side with security forces in protecting assets and personnel."

To meet manning requirements, four 434th SFS instructors put Airmen from the 434th Aerospace Medicine Squadron, 434th Civil Engineer Squadron, 434th Communications Squadron, 434th Logistics Readiness Squadron and 49th Aerial Port Flight through a one-week, jam-packed augmentee training course.

"The augmentee program is designed to assist security forces personnel for a variety of reasons including exercises and inspections, that require additional personnel," said Master Sgt. Ralph Ross, 434th Security Forces training manager. "We rely on help from base personnel during these times of need to ensure that Grissom has an adequate amount of staff to complete the mission."

The condensed training program consisted of several tasks including basic security forces concepts, weapons qualification, use-of-force, flight-line security, handcuffing techniques, team tactics, searches and more, explained Ross.

"The training involves many hours with hands-on training and weapons firing that most, if not all, trainees enjoy because it breaks up the classroom portion of the training that is used to teach security forces principals and policies," said Delee.
In addition to the demanding portion of the classroom training, trainees must also be physically and mentally capable of supporting the security forces mission, explained Delee.

"People interested in becoming a security forces augmentee must be physically and mentally prepared to perform 12-plus-hour days in all-weather conditions," he said. "They have to be flexible and ready to adapt to mission requirements as changes occur."

"In the beginning, I was not sure what to expect, but overall I was extremely impressed," said Senior Airman Dillon Easley-Frederickson, 434th Civil Engineer Squadron firefighter and security forces augmentee. "The training taught me a lot; it gave me a new perspective of the critical mission of security forces and their role at the base."

The role of security forces in one that all augmentees trainees can now partake in due to a 100 percent pass rate of the class, said Delee.

The 434th ARW is the largest KC-135R Stratotanker unit in the Air Force Reserve Command. Airmen from the 434th ARW routinely deploy around the world in support of the Air Force mission and U.S. strategic objectives.

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(Editor's note: Senior Airman Jami Lancette, 434th ARW public affairs, contributed to this article)

Public Affairs Staff

Material contained on the Official Grissom Air Reserve Base Internet Web Site is written and produced by members of the 434th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs Office. The award-winning staff includes:

Ben Mota
Chief, public affairs

Maj. Elias Zani
Public affairs officer

Master Sgt. Wendy Day
Staff writer

Tech. Sgt. Alexa Culbert
Staff writer

Senior Airman Elise Faurote
Staff writer

Senior Airman Benjamin Cowles
Staff writer