Security Forces, NATO work together; better response time saves lives

Published Aug. 5, 2009
By Senior Airman Timothy Taylor
451st Public Affairs

KANDAHAR AIR FIELD, Afghanistan -- When faced with a base population of more than 15,000 Airmen, Sailors, Soldiers and Marines, several NATO nations, civilian contractors, and host nation military members living on base, maintaining security of the flightline on one of the busiest single-runways in the world is certainly a top priority.

In recent months, KAF has incurred numerous flightline incursions compromising security and lowering the tower's ability to safely get planes on and off the ground.

"We had totally uncontrolled access and individuals that had no reason to be there," said Master Sgt. Joseph Ilsley, 451st Security Forces NATO Superintendant of NATO flight line security operations.

A major problem that had NATO nations concerned was securing a scene allowing the entry of emergency personnel to the area. A situation where every second meant life or death had response teams dodging through traffic to assess and treat victims.

"When we had emergencies to respond to we could not effectively cordon the area, evacuate personnel and facilitate the entry of emergency personnel to the site," Sgt. Ilsley said.

Kandahar Air Field security personnel took a second look at the flightline security program and closed the gaps allowing only personnel with the need and proper clearance access.

Security experts from six different NATO nations, including the United States, France, Belgium, Canada, Great Britain and the Netherlands, came together and consolidated all security procedures and resolved problem areas by developing the new NATO Consolidated Flight Line Security Program that would help ensure victory through unity.

"Since the new security program has come online, we've seen a large decrease in runway incursions," said Sgt. Ilsley.

In less than 72 hours the NATO Consolidated Flight Line Security Program responded to a major helicopter crash, an indirect fire attack and a major jet crash, which was loaded with munitions.

Airman 1st Class Jessica Hiser, 451st Security Forces response force team member, was one of the first on scene to help assist with the incidents securing the scene and providing medical assistance if needed until emergency response members arrived.

"From training in the past up until now I think it has helped us all out, with all of the events and future events," Airman Hiser said. "With all the different nations we work with everyday, training helps bring us together as one flight. Train like you fight, fight like you train," she said.

With the new program in place, first responders can effectively cordon affected areas, evacuate personnel to safety and maintain control until emergency personnel arrive. While securing the area, officials from different incident command centers meet and plan how to handle the situation and get the airfield active as soon as possible.

"This program is going to give NATO the capability to have a common directive that states how they're going to establish security on flight line areas and in a contingency environment," said Sgt. Ilsley. "It will allow them to train their forces more effectively, provide equipment, conduct manning, physical barrier security and electronic security validations and most importantly secure the flight line throughout any area of operations."

Most importantly, the sergeant said the program is set up as a template allowing it to be picked up and placed in any area of operation in a foreign or domestic environment. "We can take any personnel from any nation assigned to NATO and they'll already know how we'll secure their assets," Sgt. Ilsley said.