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Defending the base: TASS keeps base perimeter secure

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman David Carbajal
  • 451st Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan --  Approximately 11 miles of fence separates the base from the local Afghanistan community. A team of three 451st Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron personnel are responsible for ensuring the fence's security is not compromised.

The 451st ESFS Tactical Automated Security System flight uses state-of-the-art equipment to ensure the base's perimeter is secure.

"It is an intrusion detection system asset to help us identify where the threats are," said Staff Sgt. Alan Dickinson, TASS NCO in charge.

The security system is designed to detect motion, heat, and vibration on or near the base's perimeter.

"Our job is to maintain the security system and identify any abnormalities," said Anthony Mitchell, TASS field engineer.

The TASS team cleans, troubleshoots and maintains hundreds of sensors found on the perimeter.

The Joint Defense Operations Center uses these sensors to detect unauthorized intrusions on KAF.

"We inspect the sensors daily to ensure they are working properly," said Dickinson. "If during an inspection, a sensor doesn't work or isn't working properly, I'll troubleshoot it," said Dickinson, who is deployed from Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, N.Y.

With no previous knowledge of this security system, Dickinson worked with the TASS civilians to learn how the sensors worked and how to maintain them.

"It was a steep learning curve at first, but I've learned from two of the best," said Dickinson, who has been deployed to KAF since July.

"If a sensor goes down and I can't fix it, I call these guys to help," said Dickinson. Dickinson's civilian counterparts have worked on these systems for more than two years.

"They are definitely the technical experts of the system," said Dickinson. "I learn more and more from them every day."

Dickinson is also responsible for supervising the several system operators at the JDOC. These operators are all joint expeditionary tasked Airmen who monitor the security system from a secured location.

"We are in constant communication with the JDOC," said Dickinson. "If a sensor goes down at midnight, I will go fix it on the spot."

TASS is just one of many units employing Airmen to defend the base here at KAF.

"This system is just one more element of security to protect the base from threats," said Dickinson.