Vigilant Airmen keep the 386 AEW from harm

SOUTHWEST ASIA - Staff Sgt. Marcelino Ruiz, a 386th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron patrolman, compares a suspicious item pointed out by a local national with pictures of unexploded ordnance in his Airman's Manual during patrols outside the perimeter of an undisclosed air base Nov. 29, 2010. Sergeant Ruiz is a member of the 386th ESFS Viper Team, which patrols more than 180 square kilometers of desert terrain to defending the base populace, including more than 2,000 Airmen, millions of dollars worth of equipment and numerous aircraft that support flying missions throughout U.S. Central Command. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Laura Turner)

Vigilant Airmen keep the 386 AEW from harm

SOUTHWEST ASIA - Staff Sgt. Marcelino Ruiz, a 386th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron patrolman and Viper Team member, calls in a suspicious item pointed out by a local national near an undisclosed air base Nov. 29, 2010. Airmen from the 386th ESFS are charged with defending the base populace, including more than 3,000 Airmen, millions of dollars worth of equipment and multiple aircraft. Their mission is accomplished with squads inside and outside the base; those on the outside are called Viper Teams. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Laura Turner)

Vigilant Airmen keep the 386 AEW from harm

SOUTHWEST ASIA - Airman 1st Class Robert Jones, a 386th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron patrolman and Viper Team member, cordons off an area where a local national pointed out a possible Unexploded Ordnance near an undisclosed air base Nov. 29, 2010. Viper Teams patrol outside the base perimeter, looking for anything out of the ordinary that might pose a threat to Airmen here. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Laura Turner)

Viper Team keeps base secure with area patrols, local interaction

Published Dec. 9, 2010
By Staff Sgt. Stefanie Torres
386th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Covering more than 180 square kilometers of desert terrain each day, a select team of security forces Airmen leave the paved road behind, patrolling for anything out of the ordinary that might pose a risk to their undisclosed air base here.

These Viper Team Airmen, assigned to the 386th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, are charged with defending the base populace, including more than 2,000 Airmen, millions of dollars worth of equipment and numerous aircraft that support flying missions throughout U.S. Central Command.

Unlike their more traditional counterparts who provide on-base security, Viper Teams patrol outside the wire, often driving through desert sands that would get the average person lost. But much like the locals who live in the area, familiarity with the terrain comes with time, explained Staff Sgt. Marcelino Ruiz, a 386th ESFS patrolman deployed from Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.

One of the best aspects of the job is the opportunity it provides for Viper Team members to communicate with area landowners, he said.

"My favorite part of working out here is interacting with the locals," said Sergeant Ruiz. "There is definitely a big difference over working at home station, especially with the desert terrain and interacting with the local culture. But that is what makes this one of the best deployments I've been on."

The friendly rapport Sergeant Ruiz and his teammates have developed with land owners can help safeguard the base by discouraging unwanted activity, he explained. Although the language barrier may pose a challenge, hand signals often give them a good start and the relationship builds over time.

"I like to visit the locals as much as I can," Sergeant Ruiz said. "We try to work on the same routes so the locals can become familiar with our faces and vice versa. This helps develop our friendship with them."

The ability to communicate brings access to vital information that may be useful, allowing team members to identify situations that are unusual or even find old, unexploded ordnance.

"Sometimes they help us find old UXOs buried in the sand, so we cordon them off and call them in to have (explosive ordnance disposal) take care of them," Sergeant Ruiz said. "We try to take care of them as much as we can."

Airman 1st Class Robert Jones, a 386th ESFS patrolman deployed from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, enjoys the change of pace that comes from working off base and interacting with the local population.

"I don't get to come out very often, but when I am chosen to come out, it's always a good thing," he said. "It's a nice change of scenery, and I enjoy getting to experience a little more of the culture while working to make our base more secure."