Mobility Airman profile: Little Rock NCO supports fly-away security missions in Afghanistan

Published Sept. 30, 2011
By Staff
reports

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- When a C-130 Hercules filled with cargo lands at an austere airfield at any of the forward operating bases in Afghanistan, chances are Tech. Sgt. Jason Guillory may be one of the security forces team members protecting that aircraft and its cargo.

Guillory, a security forces craftsman from the 19th Security Forces Squadron at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark., is deployed with the 455th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron at Bagram Airfield. As part of his deployment duties, he serves as a fly-away security team, or FAST, leader.

In a news report from Master Sgt. Mary Davis of 455th Air Expeditionary Public Affairs in September, it states FAST members are "tasked with providing security for aircraft, aircrews, passengers and cargo."

The FAST training Airmen like Guillory receive for FAST before deploying is derived from Air Mobility Command's Phoenix Raven program and is taught by the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center at Joint Base, McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. Phoenix Raven is the Air Force's program for in-transit security for AMC aircraft.

During the Fly Away Security Team course at the Expeditionary Center, students receive classroom training in areas such as fly-away security concept of operations, legal use of force, verbal judo and cross cultural communication, according facts from the Center. They also learn practical, out of the classroom, training in subjects such as self defense and anti-hijacking training. The first course took place at the Expeditionary Center in 2007.

Davis' news report also states how the teams are tasked for their missions. In the report it says security forces leaders at the 455th ESFS receive a call the day prior a mission from U.S. Air Forces Central's Air Mobility Division force protection section. Then, a duty roster is created and teams are briefed.

"The day of the mission, the team members report in and make sure their equipment and weapons are ready and leave for the assigned mission," the report states. "Responsible for the people on board, there are times when one FAST member will sit in the flight deck area to provide security when there are persons under control or distinguished visitors aboard. This ensures no unauthorized individuals enter the flight deck. Not only are they responsible for people on board, but the safety of the entire aircraft."

Guillory described in general in the report about how they provide the protection required.

"Normally, we exit the rear of the aircraft after it lands. Time on the ground varies, but the longer it's on the ground, the more of a potential target we become," Guillory said to Davis for the story. "As long as the aircraft is on the ground with the ramp lowered, we are outside performing sentry security. On the ground, the aircraft engines are left running, so crews work as quickly as they can to off-load people and cargo so we can take off again."

The work Guillory is doing for his deployed job fit in with his core skills as a security forces Airman, according to the official Air Force job description for security forces. Guillory is required to be able to "lead, manage, supervise and perform force protection duties to include the use of deadly force to protect personnel and resources." He's also required to perform air base defense functions contributing to the force protection mission which includes controlling and securing terrain inside and outside military installations.

In addition to doing his job of defending personnel, equipment and resources from hostile forces, security forces Airmen like Guillory are capable of operating in various field environments and can perform individual and team patrol movements. Those movements include mounted and dismounted patrols, tactical drills, battle procedures, convoys, military operations other than war, and anti-terrorism duties and other special duties, according to the job description.

According to the 455th AEW Web site, the wing "serves U.S. Air Forces Central and provides close air support, combat search rescue, aerial intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and airlift capabilities to U.S. and coalition forces supporting Operation Enduring Freedom."

At his home station with the 19th SFS, part of Air Mobility Command's 19th Airlift Wing, Guillory supports a wing that "provides the Department of Defense the largest C-130 fleet in the world. As part of Air Mobility Command's global reach capability, the wing's tasking requirements range from supplying humanitarian airlift relief to victims of disasters, to airdropping supplies and troops into the heart of contingency operations in hostile areas," the wing's Web site shows.

(Master Sgt. Mary Davis and Senior Airman Krista Rose, 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs, and Air Mobility Command Public Affairs contributed to this article.)