Airmen deploy as 'ghosts' for security

Air Combat Command ^ | Feb 2, 2006 | Maj. Ann Knabe

[SandRat]

Airmen deploy as 'ghosts' for security

By Maj. Ann Knabe

Airman 1st Class Benjamin Riley, 379th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron Third Country National escort, communicates with other escorts by radio as he supervises TCNs working. Airman Riley is deployed from Barksdale Air Force Base, La. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Joshua Strang)

379th Air Expeditionary Wing
Public Affairs

02/02/2006 -- SOUTHWEST ASIA (ACCNS) -- They call themselves “the ghosts of the base.” They stand in the background, silently observing Third Country Nationals with a watchful eye. Their work almost goes unnoticed, but the 379th Force Protection Security Escort Flight plays a critical role in base security.

“As a second line of defense for the
base, TCN escorts provide an
essential layer of protection by
identifying suspicious activities,” said
Brig. Gen. Ted Kresge, 379th Air
Expeditionary Wing commander.
“They are critical to our force
protection program.”

The Airmen, who represent more than 50 different Air Force Specialty Codes, attend two days of specialty training and then start their jobs as escorts.

“Most Airmen volunteer for this assignment, and some volunteer again and again,” said Master Sgt. Leroy Ainsworth, 379th Force Protection Security Escort Flight chief.

On any given day, they escort more than 300 TCNs on the base.

“We put the beef in force protection,” explained Sergeant Ainsworth. “At any given time, there are more than 150 Airmen working escort duty and augmenting security forces.”

TCN escorts have confiscated sensitive material, identified security breeches and protected servicemembers’ identities. In addition to monitoring TCNs on the job, escorts look for items that may increase vulnerabilities.

“Sometimes we go through the trash and find mail labels and maps that aren’t shredded and uniforms that still have nametapes and rank on them,” said Senior Airman Bobby Eller, 379th Expeditionary Civil Engineering Squadron escort. “These items could compromise families back home; or, in the case of uniforms, it could compromise the entire wing’s security."

Airman Eller noted the escorts aren’t out to bust servicemembers on base, they’re out to protect them. If escorts find an Airman’s mail labels or copies of orders, they alert the servicemember about the risks involved .

Ninety-nine percent of what the escorts find turn out to be false leads, but, according to Sergeant Ainsworth, even a small security breech could prove deadly.

“If something suspicious is found, escorts immediately report it to the Office of Special Investigations,” he said.

The TCN escorts also watch the workers to keep an eye out for suspicious activities among workers like the collection of information, lengthy cell phone calls and unusual note-taking.
 

[SandRat]

Air Combat Command Ping!

[WorkingClassFilth]

Good to see that military security isn't as lax as MSM journalistic reporting is.

[Riley]

Sounds like a pretty cool job- wandering around, using your imagination and intellect and poking through stuff, looking for weak spots. Sure beats getting on line for a police call.

[penelopesire]

This is reassuring to know. I have often worried about our troops working so close with the Iraqi's and insurgents/terrorists infiltrating, etc. GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS!!

[Wiseghy]

This may seem ridiculous, but I remember ARVN spies pacing off inside the wire, for VC mortar fire spotting, (a few wars ago) with seeming impunity. The details matter in force security.

[SandRat]

They have picked up al-Quida types doing that again.

[ansel12]

"Sounds like a pretty cool job- wandering around, using your imagination and intellect and poking through stuff, looking for weak spots"

I sure agree, while recognizing that guards are important, I've always felt that the real security was the level of hidden responders behind them.

[Valin]

SAC used to run something like this, an intruder program. They stopped it in the mid 60's when people started getting shot.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT

[R. Scott]

“As a second line of defense for the base…”

What am I missing? This line of defense appears to be unarmed.

[R. Scott]

This may seem ridiculous, but I remember ARVN spies pacing off inside the wire, for VC mortar fire spotting, (a few wars ago) with seeming impunity. The details matter in force security.

When I was a Saigon Warrior for a few months I had occasion to be in the USARV Hq building a few times. I would see conference room doors – big, heavy combination safe type doors – propped open with mop buckets. No guards in sight. Operational planning maps on the walls. Vietnamese cleaning crew hard at work inside.

[WorkingClassFilth]

I agree the troop should be armed, but inconspicuously. I think the basic idea is that they are supervised with a far keener eye than normal - maybe even clinical. I don't think American/Iraqi/Afghani relations would do too well if some troop was breathing down their backs with cocked and locked hardware. Once hired and on base, watch them like eagles but no need to have a muzzle trained on them while they work.

Just my $0.02.

[dakine]

It's a crap detail, given (yeah, they volunteer!) to the lowest ranking guys because it stinks...

[R. Scott]

Good point. Maybe concealed?

[WorkingClassFilth]

Well, whatever the rank of the troop, I hope they treat the detail with the diligence it deserves. In a land where nobody is your best friend, I think caution should be your closest companion.

[R. Scott]

I think caution should be your closest companion.

A very close companion. Just because the Iraqi smiles and says “hello” every morning doesn’t mean there’s no danger.