Shaw security forces always vigilant Published April 13, 2006 By Tarsha Storey 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- Every day they put on a beret and a badge to help ensure the safety and security of the people who live and work at Shaw Air Force Base. They are the men and women of the 20th Security Forces Squadron. The primary mission of the 20th SFS is to protect and serve 24 hours a day, seven days a week, not just here, but also in their deployed location, said Tech. Sgt. Barry Smith, 20th SFS flight sergeant. While stateside, security forces personnel are responsible for a number of things. They ensure Shaw members follow base, state and federal laws and regulations through traffic enforcement. Sgt. Smith said this can be anything from writing citations for speeding or not wearing a seatbelt to checking IDs at the gates or issuing passes at the visitor’s center. During their shifts, patrolmen are also responsible for ensuring the safety and protection of Shaw’s personnel and resources on the flightline and in other secure areas, said Tech. Sgt. Eric Lavender, 20th SFS flight sergeant. They also perform building security checks; respond to medical emergencies, traffic accidents, stray animal reports and noise complaints; conduct perimeter checks, apprehend persons driving under the influence; and whatever other emergency situations that may arise. Even if a patrol has to sit on the flightline for 12 hours, they have to be alert and ready to respond to a situation at a moment’s notice. “Our job is long hours of boredom highlighted by minutes of adrenaline. We have to be ready instantly. We train as much as we can for as many situations as we can. (Through proper use of force,) we have to be prepared to make life and death decisions every day. We expect a lot of our people,” said Sgt. Lavender. A large portion of the mission is to deploy to support the security forces aspects of the Air Force mission. It requires many personnel to deploy for as much as six months out of every year. This does not include the training 20th SFS personnel require for deployment. Stateside, augmentees, contracted security, Reserve and Guard personnel help the 20th SFS to support the deployment part of their mission, said Sgt. Lavender. While deployed, security forces members protect, provide security and serve as needed for the base to which they are assigned, said Sgt. Smith. They also work with and assist the Air Force’s sister services at deployed locations. “Deployments are demanding. There is no single greater determining factor or impact (on our squadron) than deployments. They drive everything we do. Not a minute goes by that we don’t think about or are affected by them,” said Sgt. Lavender. “We are extremely proud of the accomplishments of the Airmen of the 20th Security Forces Squadron. Be it at home station or in a deployed location, the professional men and women of the 20th Security Forces Squadron are answering the call to serve and protect, 24 hours a day,” said Maj. Phillip Suydam, 20th SFS commander.