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Security forces keep personnel safe at Shaw

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Krystal M. Jeffers
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  Before entering the base, drivers must present an acceptable identification card to the entry controller. Patrolmen drive through the base enforcing road laws and responding to calls of emergency as flightline security protect the aircraft.

These Airmen - military and civilian - are all members of 20th Security Forces Squadron and they are tasked with the mission to secure and defend Shaw. They are expected to protect the base and its assets 24/7. Also, they enforce standards of conduct and discipline along with state, military and federal laws.

"We are in charge of all the base security and the law enforcement functions," explains Capt. Matthew Lowe, 20th SFS operations officer.

Each week they work eight- to ten-hour shifts, six days a week, before having three days off. In addition, they have to schedule medical appointments in their off time because they are required to be armed during their duties of safe guarding the base and its personnel, but cannot enter a hospital while carrying a weapon.

Entry controllers guard the four gates into Shaw and look for any suspicious activities.

"The gates are a huge deterrent for anybody trying to get on base and are unauthorized," said Senior Airman Chandler Hildebrandt, 20th SFS unit trainer.

Flightline security on the other hand is charged with protecting the F-16 Fighting Falcons in addition to any visiting aircraft. They also guard supplies which are being readied to be loaded on an aircraft.

"We are protecting resources that are meant to go downrange to help the war efforts," Hildebrandt elaborated.

Unlike entry controllers and flightline security, patrolmen don't guard a specific point or area. They are tasked with maintaining the law and order within the base.

"The patrolmen are usually the ones enforcing the rules and regulars like wearing a seat belt and other different infractions for the base," said Master Sgt. Arthur Sawyer, 20th SFS flight chief. "They restore order when needed and are usually the first ones on scene to an incident."

Another responsibility that patrolmen have is making sure that the buildings are all secure. In addition, they respond to medical emergencies, alert notifications, traffic accidents and other similar incidents around base and are the first responders.

"A first responder is the first person on scene (to an incident) and potentially save lives," said Sawyer. "I've been first on scene to things like house fires, domestic assault and sexual assault."

20th SFS is also in charge of the visitor's center and the vehicle search area, which is where they check all large vehicles, trailers and semi-trucks before allowing them on base.

These are the most common functions of 20th SFS that the base personnel see, Lowe said.

There are multiple other parts of security forces that work together to complete its mission to safeguard the base and its assets. One of those parts are the military working dogs.

"Our dogs are capable of detecting narcotics and several different types of explosives," said Tech Sgt. Alishia Nastas, 20th SFS Military Working Dogs Section kennel master. "That is a very important capability with what is going on around the world. They are saving lives downrange and stateside."

The dog and its handler work as a team. The handler will guide the dog as the dog searches. They sometimes have the dog check over something again. If the dog detects something, then it is the handler's responsibility to alert the law enforcement desk who will then dispatch additional units like the fire department and the 20th Civil Engineer Squadron explosive ordnance disposal technicians if needed.

Being able to detect explosives and narcotics isn't the only way the military working dogs benefit Shaw.

"We do patrol work around the base which is a psychological deterrent and an anti-terrorism measure," Nastas elaborated. "We also deploy handlers with their dogs to do counter terrorism operations."

Another section of 20th SFS is Security Forces Investigations.

"They deal with all the misdemeanors on base like any kind of drug case, assault cases depending on their level of assault, and any kind of theft on base," Lowe said. "They also do our background checks and they will sometimes do our customs check when a plane comes in from out of country."

In addition to the investigators and the military working dogs, there is the combat arms branch.

"Basically I teach marksmanship on small arms weapons like the M-9 Beretta and heavy weapons like the M-249 assault rifle and the .50-caliber sniper rifle," said Staff Sgt. Norman Charlton, 20th SFS CATM instructor. "Before someone deploys we train them on weapons. We train people who haven't held a weapon since basic training on how to use the weapons and be accurate with them."

They are also in charge of the armory that handles the storage of personally owned weapons.

Every part of 20th SFS works together toward the common mission of keeping the base safe.

"The residents of Shaw know they are taken care of no matter what," Lowe said. "We do the job no one wants to do. Our guys are always working even through all the major holidays to make sure this base is secure and we bring a level of security that you don't see anywhere else in the world. I know that my troops are willing to do anything to make sure the job is done right. They have a high level of initiative, discipline and professionalism that you don't see often."

Lowe believes that their discipline has a lot to do with their training.

"We have a really robust training program that we must abide by," Lowe explains. "Our guys are always going through some type of training for either home station or for going downrange."

Some of that training includes usage of the ASP baton, pepper spray and taser.

"We all have to get qualified once a year on the M-9 pistol and the M-4 rifle," Hildebrandt said. "We also go through scenarios related to how to handle shoplifting, an active shooter, assault, and domestics. We go through all that type of training regularly so that it is muscle memory so we know how to do things right away without think about it."

All members of security forces are expected to complete these exercises because "everyone is a cop" no matter what position they are in.

"I think very highly of my troops because they have to do so much," Lowe said. "They have so many responsibilities on their shoulders at such a young age and they will do it all and never say a word about it. They work all the long hours and put up with being yelled at (from people they are correcting) and then wake up the next day to do it all over again with a smile on their face. That is what makes them so great."