United States Air Force Security Forces
Air Force Security Forces (AFSC 3P0X1) (formerly named Air Police, then Security Police and colloquially called the "skycops" by USAF personnel), are the military police of the United States Air Force. Airmen in this field go through about 13 weeks of training at Lackland Air Force Base with the 343rd Training Squadron, also known as the Security Forces Academy.
Duties
Air Force Security Forces members provide resource protection for vital national security assets, including fighter jets, bombers, nuclear bombs and nuclear missiles. Their main function is protection for all Air Force personnel, property, and operations. They are the defacto ground troops for the USAF along the lines of the RAF Regiment or the German Air Force Objektschutzbataillon. They are trained in ground combat skills, including land navigation, crew served weapons systems, claymore mines, fragmentation hand grenade use, "LAW" rocket (light anti-tank weapon) deployment, hand and arm signals, squad movements, and many other "Infantry" skills. Security Forces also provide the law enforcement function on all Air Force bases to include response to emergencies, response to building alarms, traffic direction, traffic regulations enforcement, initial investigations, and crime scene securing for major crimes. Many of these functions are being contracted out to private security agencies for entry control to installations, and Department of Defense police officers for law enforcement services. Security Forces personal have also been deploying to augment Air Force Vehicle Operators (AFSC 2T1X1) in providing convoy security and line haul support directly to U.S. Army units within Iraq. Security Forces have been deploying to agment the US Army in Detainee Operations such as at Camp Bucca. Members of the Air Force Security Forces can be seen on an Air Force base wearing their dark blue berets. The Security Forces field is one of only six Air Force jobs that receive a beret upon graduation of technical school.
Advancement and specialties
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Members in this career field can later move on to other specialties like the Phoenix Raven program, consisting of airmen who secure air strips in dangerous or combat zones that do not already have adequate security. Security Forces also deploy Close Precision Engagement (CPE) teams, also known as counter-snipers, who go through an extensive Close Precision Engagement Course (CPEC) by U.S. Army training personnel at Camp Robinson. Security Forces members may also go through technical schools to help them as their careers develop. Some of these schools consist of, but are not limited to: S.W.A.T./Emergency Services Team (E.S.T.), Security Forces Dispatch Communications, Tactical Automated Sensor Systems Operator (TASS), Combat Arms Training and Maintenance (CATM), or Military Working Dog Handler (MWD).
TASS Operators consist of mostly Airman of a lower rank who complete a course on operation and maintenance of thermal imagers, sensors, and their components. Operators set up and provide surveillance to built-up installations as well as mobile base camps. Operators use microwave, thermal, seismic, and 'trip-wire' sensors. Operators can also use a variety of camera systems such as CCTV systems, or the high tech military version, called the Wide-Area Infrared Surveillance Thermal Imager - or WISTI. WISTI's can detect enemy movement by tracking body heat, or other heat resonances; or can be automatically routed to another sensor that goes off, in which the WISTI will automatically focus in and track the programmed sensor.
Air Force Specialty Code 3P0X1B (CATM) are personnel who train base personnel in the use of small arms weaponry, oversee and maintain and repair all small arms in the Air Force inventory. A second career direction Security Forces have the option of is in the Military Working Dog (MWD) program. Military Working Dog teams deploy explosive detection and narcotics detection dogs throughout the base. Most Dog Handlers perform law enforcement duties at their duty station, and have opportunities to deploy, go Temporary Duty (TDY) for various reasons, including protection of the President of the United States.
Also, a number of Security Forces are accepted into other training programs like the Army's Air Assault School, Airborne jump school (there are at least two Security Forces Squadron on jump status, the 786 SFS, members of the 786 SFS took part in the combat jump into norther Iraq in March 2003, and the 820 SFG), and the pre-Ranger and Ranger School training. Security Forces members can also go through advanced training in investigations or advanced driving school training by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI).Security Forces maintains a qualification with the M-4 Rifle and M-9 pistol at the least. Different weapons skills can be obtained, such as the M-203 Grenade Launcher, the M-249 automatic rifle, the M-60/M-240B machine gun, the M-2 50 caliber machine gun, and the MK-19 grenade launcher.
Many bases have an Emergency Services Team (EST), which is closely modeled after civilian police department SWAT teams, Nuclear bases have a Tactical Response Force, which takes the place of the EST, and has a broader mission in support of nuclear weapons. Some EST members undergo vigorous SWAT tactics training (Special Reaction Team Course, Phase 1 and 2) at the Advanced Law Enforcement Training Division (ALETD) located at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. ALETD is run by the U.S. Army and provides the majority of specialty training for U.S. Army and Marine Corp Military Policemen as well as Air Force Security Forces and some civilian police departments.