SOUTHWEST
ASIA, Jan.
2010 – Air
Force security
forces have to
be ready for a
response at
moment's
notice. Known
as
"defenders"
to many in the
Air Force
community, Air
Force Staff
Sgt. LeTari
Myles and
other security
forces airmen
are ready to
take action
when called
upon.
|
Air
Force
Staff
Sgt.
LeTari
Myles
watches
over
the
flightline
in
the
early
morning
hours
at
a
base
in
Southwest
Asia,
Jan.
18,
2010.
U.S.
Air
Force
photo
by
Tech.
Sgt.
Scott
T.
Sturkol
(Click
photo
for
screen-resolution
image);high-resolution
image
available.
|
|
"Along
with my fellow
security
forces, [I]
provide
security for
all U.S.
military
resources,
equipment and
people at our
deployed
location,"
said Myles,
who serves as
a security
forces
response team
leader with
the 380th
Expeditionary
Security
Forces
Squadron.
"We have
to provide an
immediate
armed response
to all
situations
affecting the
protection
level
resources we
have."
A seven-year
veteran of the
Air Force and
the security
forces career
field, Myles
said he knows
the importance
of keeping
nearly 1,900
people safe
along with
protecting
millions of
dollars of
equipment,
aircraft and
assets.
Being a
"defender"
takes a high
volume of
training and
knowledge in
weaponry,
laws,
directives and
programs,
policies and
procedures
governing
security
forces
activities.
That knowledge
further breaks
down into
being fluent
on
installation
security,
anti-terrorism,
law
enforcement
and
investigations
and air base
defense.
"In
short, my
career field
provides a
first line of
defense,"
the Detroit
native said.
Deployed from
the 43rd
Security
Forces
Squadron at
Pope Air Force
Base, N.C.,
Myles said the
longer he
serves in the
military, the
more
appreciation
he has for his
fellow
security
forces airmen
and other
servicemembers.
"I'm
enjoying
serving in the
U.S. military,
and I have
grown to love,
accept and
respect my
job," he
said.
Myles added
that he knows
deploying is
"something
that comes
with the
job."
"I knew
that before I
joined the Air
Force,"
he said.
"Deploying
has been easy
to me.” He
credited his
family’s
support and
understanding
for that.
Even knowing
he had to
leave family
behind to
deploy, the
staff sergeant
said the time
away offers an
opportunity to
meet new
people and
more.
"When you
deploy, it's
hard to leave
your family,
but you meet
and become
close with new
people who
become your
extended
family,"
he said.
"The
military has
taught me a
lot, and I
have gained a
lot from the
military."
The 380th
Expeditionary
Security
Forces
Squadron, as a
part of the
380th Air
Expeditionary
Wing, supports
operations
Iraqi Freedom
and Enduring
Freedom and
the Combined
Joint Task
Force Horn of
Africa. The
wing's mission
includes air
refueling,
surveillance
and
reconnaissance
in support of
contingency
operations in
Southwest
Asia.
(Air Force
Tech. Sgt.
Scott T.
Sturkol serves
in the 380th
Air
Expeditionary
Wing public
affairs
office.)
