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The patrol that never ends

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Ned T. Johnston
  • 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla --  "MacDill is the only base with a twenty-four-seven, three-sixty-five marine patrol," said Staff Sgt. Christina Ryder, a crew leader with the 6th Security Forces Squadron marine patrol. "Ever since 9/11 we've had a constant patrol in these waters."

In the 12 years since 9/11, there has not ceased to be a moment when a marine patrol Airmen has patrolled the waters around MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.

The 6th SFS marine patrol was created to protect MacDill's strategic location and many different organizations who call MacDill home.

MacDill is home to U.S. Central Command, U.S. Special Operations Command, The Joint Communications Support Element, the hurricane hunters from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration along with 34 other organizations.

"Protecting MacDill is the top priority for us, and we do so by making sure our waters are safe from all intruders," said Jesse Gabbert, officer in charge of 6th SFS marine patrol.

How do these Airmen go about protecting the water boundaries? Through the use of highly trained personnel, a myriad of different watercraft and strategic planning.

With the amount of area covered by these Airmen, it would be assumed that there would have to be a huge force assigned to the patrol. However, an elite force of just 35 Airmen are responsible for keeping MacDill's waters safe.

These Airmen were put through a very rigorous and thorough selection process. To come aboard the 6th SFS marine patrol, security forces Airmen must go above and beyond the standards and stand out both professionally and physically.

Marine patrol detects and deters any person or vessel from the coastal restricted area. The CRA refers to the 7.2 miles of MacDill's coastline, as well as the "danger zone," which extends out 1,000 yards from the shoreline and 2,000 yards from the flightline.

"On average, we act on 50 incidents a year where someone breaches the CRA," said Gabbert. "However, we also act on five to 10 local emergencies per year, such as search and rescue."

Also incorporated into the marine patrolmen's duties is working with local authorities and the U.S. Coast Guard for emergencies in the local area.

Through the use of the unique marine patrol, one thing is certain--no matter if it's Independence Day or Christmas Eve, day or night, one can always be assured that the safety of MacDill is always being attended to.