Defenders of the force

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jacob Morgan
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  Rising three hours before the sun, they strap 20 pounds of gear to their chest. Reporting to morning formation to receive weapons and assignments, these Team Dover Airmen have one of the most critical missions at Dover Air Force Base, Del. -- security.

"If I do my job, everything will run smooth," said Airman 1st Class Moses McDonald, a patrolman with the 436th Security Forces Squadron. "I know if my counterparts and I work hard, everything will stay safe."

Security force's patrolmen, like McDonald, are the first line of defense at Dover AFB. They protect everything from a C-5M Super Galaxy to shoppers at the Commissary. At any given time, there are at least 10 on duty. Every day is different; their job entails constant awareness and endless possibilities of crisis situations. They split their duties between protection of assets and personnel, and law enforcement.

Although a lot of members refer to security forces as "cops", they have a different mission than what an average person would consider a cop to do. While civilian police officers enforce laws and protect and serve people, security forces must protect valuable Air Force assets, which at Dover AFB can be a monumental task.

With two different airframes totaling more than 30 aircraft, Team Dover controls a large portion of what moves in and out of the United States in support of operations overseas.

"It's all about the bigger picture," said McDonald. "It gives me pride to make sure these resources make it to where they are needed."

The protection side of security forces is split into four different levels. The first being assets such as Air Force One or the president and the last are assets such as buildings. Security also becomes more important as threat levels increase. Higher threat levels mean longer and harder days for the already very busy patrolmen and also changes their mission slightly.

Patrols are broken into different sections, each roaming the base on 12 to 16 hour shifts. Some are dedicated to protection of assets and base defense, while others travel about the base to enforce the laws of Delaware and of Dover AFB.

"While base defense is very black and white, right and wrong, and checklists," said Senior Airman Ryan Metcalfe, a patrolman with the 436 SFS. "However, the law enforcement side is very grey."

Security forces law enforcement is responsible for everything between traffic violations and murder, said Metcalfe. Patrolmen on base have a three to five minute response time to any position on base.

Some security forces prefer protection, while others prefer law enforcement, said Metcalfe. It depends on the patrolman.

"Personally, I enjoy responding to law enforcement calls because I like dealing with the public," said Metcalfe.

Overall, the job can be exciting or slow depending on the day, both McDonald and Metcalfe said.

"When there is action, it can be exciting and the day can go faster," said Metcalfe. "However, that also means people's lives are being affected and we must be vigilant."