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Bagram's Airmen 'Defend the Base'

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. John Wright
  • 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan --  Airmen from the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing are hard at work each and every day fulfilling the wing's mission: "Support the fight, defend the base and win."

Bagram Airfield is a joint installation, but its security is unusual in that defending the base is performed primarily by Airmen.

The 455th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, comprising more than 1,000 personnel, including contractors and civilians, man numerous guard towers, entry control points and other security checkpoints throughout the base defense sectors.

Additionally, security forces Airmen work hand-in-hand with Army and South Korean military police to ensure the base is defended.

"Our security forces squadron has been tasked in a direct support role to the U.S. Army," said Col. Erik Rundquist, 455th Expeditionary Mission Support Group commander. "The Army is relying on the Air Force for ground defense of its installation. It speaks volumes to our capabilities and the trust that other services place in our Airmen to conduct base defense."

Defending Bagram isn't without its challenges. With several entry control points and processing more than 5,000 local nationals and 800 vehicles onto the installation daily, security forces Airmen stay busy.

"One of our ECPs is the largest within U.S. Central Command," Rundquist, a Homestead, Fla., native said. "So we are involved in close coordination with Afghan National Police, Afghan local security guards and Army personnel to ensure everyone is properly vetted, checked and searched. We provide a safe environment for people to operate on the base."

While security forces Airmen are hard at work on the ground, flying assets are hard at work providing residual base defense. The concept of RBD, or "warhawk airspace" as the fighter pilots call it, allows close air support jets and intelligence assets returning from missions to fly over Bagram as long as their fuel allows.

"We have assets that return to Bagram with 'x' amount of time left, so we want to maximize their effect," said Lt. Col. Aaron Lade, 455th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron commander. "So, we talk to the Joint Defense Operations Center to figure out how we can best employ our airpower to defend the base."

Capt. John Dayton is the senior intelligence officer for the 455th AEW and helps ensure the joint forces in the fight bring synergistic effects to the battlefield.

"The primary organizations that benefit from residual base defense is Task Force maverick, Air Force Office of Special Investigations and Air Force Security Forces," the Hendersonville, Tenn., native said. "Each one has different named areas of interest around the base and everybody makes inputs. Our mission planning cell puts together a product that gets everybody's priorities on the same sheet of music. It ensures that our efforts in the joint fight are efficient and effective."

According to Lade, a Ravenna, Neb., native, having an MC-12 Liberty or fighter overhead to help forces on the ground who have a very limited line of sight to track the bad guys is important.

"Bringing together the intelligence of the OSS, the assets of the 455th Expeditionary Operations Group and the coordination of Air Force and Army, brings together an awesome effect in defending the base," Lade said. "When we sync all the priorities, it's very effective. It makes everybody in the kill chain very motivated and proud of the efforts."

Another key agency helping defend the base is the 455th AEW Antiterrorism office. The wing staff agency develops AT policies and advises units on how best to safeguard people and resources for the wing.

"We maintain a base antiterrorism plan, facilitate working groups and an executive council that all work in harmony with the joint forces here to ensure we have the best AT posture possible," said Capt. Leo Moreno, wing antiterrorism officer.

Moreno's office also implements random antiterrorism measures throughout the base to deter threats.

"RAMs are basically unpredictable security measures," said Moreno, an Eden Prairie, Minn., native. "We don't ever want to present a predictable security posture; so we mix things up to keep the enemy guessing. Each unit has an AT representative that does a great job making sure our RAMs are implemented."

Unit AT representatives also assist the AT office with frequent inspections to make sure facilities and personnel are properly safeguarded.

Additionally, the antiterrorism office maintains a wireless audio visual emergency system that is key to early warning of indirect fire attacks.

"The WAVE system is an improvement over the old giant voice system," Moreno said. "Basically, if a rocket is fired, our sensors can detect it and immediately begins transmitting an alarm across the base for personnel to take cover. It is a vital piece of defending the base."

Another measure used to defend the base is the military working dogs.

"Our main missions include force protection, entry control point operations, conducting random antiterrorism measures and foot patrols," said Tech. Sgt. Thomas Henzl, 455th ESFS, military working dog kennel master. "Our dogs are capable of detecting explosives and narcotics so we are valuable assets in ensuring the safety and security of all those getting the mission done."

Henzl's dogs and handlers are also heavily involved in outside the wire missions. They assist the Office of Special Investigations and the Provost Marshal office. Additionally, they conduct distinguished visitor and health and welfare searches.

Conducting vehicle and personnel searches are a big part of combating what the wing commander, Brig. Gen. Darryl Roberson, has called his primary base defense priority: the insider threat.

"We have to make sure each and every person on this base is aware of and ready to counter an insider threat," Roberson said.

To help counter an insider threat, the wing has instituted a rigorous training program that all Airmen and Air Force contractors must attend.

"The capstone is for each and every unit in the wing to fire ammunition in simulated scenarios," Rundquist said. "If you're sitting down at the dining facility, what do you do? Airmen are getting a chance to fire at an elevated heart rate and nontraditional positions. We are very proud of that program."

Maj. Jeffrey Day, 455th ESFS operations officer, echoed his group commander's words.

"Everybody is armed for a reason," said Maj. Jeffrey Day, 455th ESFS operations officer. "We have to make sure people know how to react in an insider threat situation. To date, we've trained more than 650 Airmen and 2,000 contractors. The next step is we're going to send teams to all the work centers throughout the wing and train personnel on how to react to scenarios in their work environment."

While Day's specialized teams train Bagram's Airmen to counter insider threats, another highly trained and motivated team combats threats outside the wire.

The EFSF's Quick Response Teams provide a security deterrence outside the perimeter at Bagram as well as a mobile reserve for forces inside the wire.

"In the event [Bagram] takes indirect fire, the QRTs could be called out to go find a point of origin site and bring the fight to the enemy," Day, a Detroit native said. "They go out and provide a visible enemy deterrence."

The teams will patrol out a few miles with a primary objective of "making the enemy work for it."

"Our primary focus is to prevent the enemy from getting a shot at our aircraft," Rundquist said. "If anything, we are hoping to deny terrain and kill or capture anyone out there trying to disrupt our operations."

According to Day, the aggressive posture of the Bagram's perimeter patrols is not a typical base defense posture but it provides depth to the defense of Bagram.

"Being able to go outside the wire and deny the enemy freedom of movement is huge," the major said. "They never know when and where we will be."

Security forces Airmen also work closely with Task Force Maverick and its "Outlaw Company" in defending the immediate areas outside of Bagram Airfield.

"We integrate very well with Task Force Maverick," Rundquist said. "Our Airmen are out there conducting an infantry-minded role and doing a very good job of supporting Army forces. There is a common bond. If they need help, get stuck or need combat overwatch ... we're there for them and vice versa."

Employing joint force doctrine in defending the base is highly effective, according to Day.

"It brings more guns to the fight," he said. "It ensures we have an even coverage of the security zones. We share intelligence and ideas on a daily basis. Defending the base is a team effort."

Army Maj. Justin Perusek, Task Force Maverick executive officer, lauded the joint efforts.

"Integrating and communicating with Air Force security forces personnel is vital to mission success," the Middlefield, Ohio, native said. "There is constant interaction. We're talking on the phone, looking at each other's screens and effectively employing the joint force."

The major said he's been impressed with the caliber of Airmen defending Bagram.

"They all definitely have attention to detail," he said. "The moment you see indirect fire they come swarming in. Regardless of what's going on they're always focused and very professional. Bagram's defense is in good hands."

According to Rundquist, the best way to deter indirect fire attacks is to both harden the installation and get out and work with the Army and Afghan forces to stop that from happening; his Airmen are doing just that.

"During outside the wire missions, we're gathering as much information as we can to understand what the local populace is up to," the colonel said. "We want to put ourselves in a position where we are working closely with the Army and Afghan National Police to dissuade the enemy from shooting rockets at the base."

For hardening the installation, the base relies on the 455th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron.

"The CE Airmen are heavily involved with force protection engineering," Rundquist said. They provide advice, planning and execution of placing barriers such as T-walls. They provide advice on how to protect mass gathering areas and are involved in emergency management - if the base is attacked, they help develop plans and processes to combat it."

All in all, Rundquist and Day are impressed with the dedication, skill and professionalism of the Airmen who help keep Bagram Airfield secure.

"This is the most capable, combat-experienced and combat-hardened fighting force we've ever had," Rundquist said. "When you think of the complex nature of the enemy, and the fact we have Airmen stepping up to that task ... that's pretty darn amazing to me."

Day concurred.

"It's an honor and privilege to work with them," the major said. "When rockets are coming in and most people are running for shelter like they are supposed to, these guys are running out to the line preparing for a possible ground attack. They are ready and they will win."

Roberson had this to say about the Airmen guarding Bagram Airfield:

"Our vigilant security forces Airmen keep Bagram safe, allowing us to fly, fight and win every day," the general said. "Defense of the airfield is a total force effort. All our Airmen are critical force multipliers and I'm extremely proud of what they bring to the fight."