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Deployed Defenders honor fallen comrades

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Michael O'Connor
  • 386th Air Expeditionary Wing public affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  Airmen 'Defenders' deployed to the 386th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron commemorated National Police Week at an air base in the Persian Gulf Region May 11-17.

Members of the 386th ESFS paid homage to those killed in action by hosting a series of events celebrating the memory of their fallen comrades.

Every year in the United States, more than 60,000 police officers are assaulted and on average, one officer is killed every 53 hours. In the past 10 years, 1,699 law enforcement personnel have lost their lives in the line of duty. More than 17,000 officers have made the ultimate sacrifice throughout the nation's history.

"Our security forces have felt these losses as well," said Col. Robert Tirevold, Air Force Security Forces Center commander in a recent policy letter sent out to SF units on this year's observance. "During the past 10 years, 15 fellow security forces members have paid the ultimate sacrifice. Our most recent loss on April 2, 2008 was Staff Sgt. Travis Griffin who was killed by an explosive device that detonated near his vehicle while on patrol in Iraq."

Sergeant Griffin, assigned to the 277th Security Forces Squadron, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., was 28 and is survived by his mother and his son.

"Not forgotten are our colleagues from the Air Force Office of Special Investigations," said Colonel Tirevold. "Since the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom, seven special agents have also made the ultimate sacrifice. Most recently, Special Agent Thomas Crowell, David Wieger, and Nathan Schuldheiss, assigned to AFOSI Det. 2411, Balad Air Base, Iraq, were killed by an improvised explosive device on Nov. 1, 2007."

In 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation that designated May 15th as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which that date falls as "Police Week."

The 386th ESFS Defenders hosted a 3.1-mile run May 11, a 10-mile quadrathon May 12 consisting of a swim, run, cycle, and ruck march series, a candlelight vigil May 13 honoring 10 members of the SF and AFOSI community killed-in-action, a retreat ceremony and softball tournament May 16.

"When we're deployed we're security specialists and when we're at home we're law enforcement and provide overall security for the base we're assigned to," said Airman 1st Class JoVan Descartes, 386th ESFS deployed from Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, D.C. "These events mean a whole lot to me because it gives a chance to show our respect to those people who've gave their lives and to this career field.