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ROCK SOLID WARRIOR

  • Published
  • 387th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  Staff Sgt. Michael A. Yurco III

Job: Security Controller

Home station: 35th Security Forces Squadron, Misawa Air Base, Japan

How do you support the mission here? As a security controller, I support the mission at my deployed location by directing the on-duty Security Forces charged with protecting more than 400 Coalition, contractors and host nation personnel and protection level resources on a daily basis. I provide command and control for any type of situation requiring a Security Forces response such as security incidents, in flight emergencies and all suspicious activities. I coordinate our responses with the host nation security forces and joint emergency responders. Another facet of my job is to notify key leaders of all security incidents affecting our location and keep them informed as the situation changes, allowing them to see the whole picture and make command decisions. Each and every one of these duties are crucial to base security since many passengers process through this Aerial Port of Debarkation.

How many times have you deployed and what makes this one unique? I have never deployed before, but I think it is unique that we have to travel to work every day. There are logistical concerns that have to be taken into consideration on a daily basis to ensure our forces arrive at work safely.

How does your job differ in a deployed environment vs. home base? Being a security controller in a deployed environment requires that you communicate with other bases and agencies on a much more frequent basis. At my home station, I rarely have to communicate with other bases for day to day operations. Also, many of the things we do on a daily basis have to be coordinated with our host nation. Changes to our security policy must be coordinated in a manner that ensures neither U.S. nor host nation missions are hindered. There are many elements we don't control making it this deployment a unique challenge.