[SMSgt Griggs]

The career fields merged into one back in 1997-1998 time frame.  Since then, there's been some speculation a split would be a good move.

[B-Tine]

[b]The latest word on the street that I've heard down at Lackland is the "Expeditionary Security Forces".  Rumor has it our mission will be evolving to an even more combat mission, very little law enforecement (due to it being contracted out), and security.  There is even rumor that our name will change again, as stated above, to the "Expeditionary Security Forces".  Although, as an old Law Enforcement weenie, I'm saddened to see that part of the mission slowly disappear...  But who is to say for sure what's going to happen.  At this time, it's really all speculation.
;)

[USAFK-9]

I personally think it would be good for the career field to split again. I found out the hard way that when you go to a primarily security base and have PRP that you can pretty much forget about any law enforcement duties. Ive been in almost 4 years now and have been a security troop from day one. I found that if you come from a law enforcement base thats pretty much what you can count on doing. Most new people coming into the security forces career field more than likely are not going to get a lot of law enforcement experience with the huge mission at northern tier bases. I think a career field split will be benenficial for us in the long run.

[Conformist]

All outside considerations aside (i.e. DoD Gateguards, DoD Patrols, Contract Guards, Expeditionary Force, etc.) I think a split in the career field would be for the benefit of the Security Forces Community as a whole.  Bad on our Senior Leadership of the mid 90's for even entertaining the thought of career field mergers, let alone not fighting it tooth and nail.  The merger of the career field did a number of things that I do not think they considered when sat at a table and talked about implementation of a combined career field.  Some of the issues I have had with the merger are as follows:

1:  Specialist vs. Generalist. No longer do you have Security Specialists and L.E. Specialists.  You have L.E. and Security Generalists.  Gone are the days where they fear Security on the flight line becuase of their no bullshit attitude.  You have people troops that are in L.E. mode on the flight line and play diplomatic with people that cross red lines instead of having them eating pavement, and you have troops in Security mode trying to conduct routine traffic stops. Troops are not well versed in the laws because they have to work security one night, a gate the next night, and as an Alpha on a patrol the following night.  They can be tricked into overlooking violations, or they might be oblivious that a violation occured at all (no wonder the complaints again SF have jumped since the merger, the general populous of base consider us as wanna-be cops and lacking the competence to full fill our jobs.  Johnny does it this way today, but Jimmy did it another way yesterday).  Take a look at the stats for your own bases.  How many red line violations were there prior to 97 and how many are there after?  We lost something by changing a specialist to a generalist.

2:  Money.  The Air Force probably thought they could save money by combining the career field, but when you have to outfit every member with both L.E. and Security gear, you up your cost per troop for gear issue.  Not to mention that before the merger you could hold a Breathalyzer class for the L.E. Troops and it would only cost $650 for a class where now you have to make sure everyone is qualified since your post changes on a nightly occurance.  So no longer can you do one class to get the L.E. patrolmen to be certified, now you have to hold 5 classes to get the squadron qualified.  That ups the cost from $650 to $3250.

3:  Numbers vs Quality.  Another aspect that I know they were probably excited about was increasing the numbers and not having to wonder how many L.E. vs Security troops you had.  Well, the number might have gone up, but the quality dropped.  Just look at foriegn countries that we visit that mandate their young men 'must' serve in the military and our own volunteer force.  We have people that generally want to be here where in those contries they have all sorts of disiplinary problems because they don't want to be where they are.  That is no different than what we are facing now.  We have troops that come in for Law Enforcement, are told by their recruiters that they will be patrolling like a civilian police department from day one, and they get sent to Minot where they do nothing but sit on security for four years.  That hurts retention and lowers the quality output these troops could be performing at.  The SF leadership from the 90's should never have sacrificed performance for numbers.  We already know it doesn't work....look at the rest of the world's military and you will know why they fear and respect ours.


So in short, I hope the career fields do change.  Bring back the days where there are specialists in the career field that know the job inside and out.  That is like asking a heart surgeon to replace someone's kidney because it is in roughly the same area of the career field.  Hell no, if someone is going to do something to a General's body, they would want a specialist to do it...not a general practitioner.  Why should it be any different with Installation Security?

[SFPup]

man oh man I hope I don't get minot!
Thank you that was a great read

[SF_Ranger]

Every base has its own perks and downfalls. Travis for example has alot of LE but also has a HIGH deployment rate so you are home for 6 months and then gone for 6 to 8 months.

[SFPup]

true, but if I am lucky enough to be at travis I'd be able to visit my friends who still live in California. I don't know how I'd cope with getting deployed every six months but im sure it will build on my character and yeah thats  aserious downperk but I love Travis.

In all honesty im hoping for Beale Vandenberg or LA. LOL Travis is a little to close to home.
But you know ill be  a 2 striper out of tech school and the needs of the AF come first. I seriously would like to get stationed at  one of thoughs or maybe even Mchoard AFB.

I also don't want to jinx it beacuse I hear alot of scuttlebutt about if you wish to much you get minot.

[SF_Ranger]

I had every base in California on my dream sheet and i got Korea!

[Conformist]

SFPup:  Hey, I am glad you enjoyed the read but it is just personal opinion.  As strongly as I feel the career field should be split, there is probably someone out there that feels it is better if they are combined. 

[SF_Ranger]

I agree with conformist on this one i love Air Base Defense. I know LE but ABD is my passion. I would love to be able to just do ABD and Security. I love know when and if i can use my weapon its Black and White in security. LE is all grey area!

[SFPup]

Heh you see I am coming from an oppsite end. I don't think I will mind security much, but I am all about LE baby, adapting to the situation and overcomming is just great when you have to deal with people on traffic stops. Heh I don't know I just see myself behind the wheel of a patrol car someday.  But yeah I also really want to sink my teeth into the security section and it looks like I will get my chance!

[A1C-IC]

pup, i would be careful and not eat all the bullshit the recruiters feed you. i was told i would be LE but came to malmstrom. personally i love security, didnt think i would...but im Hua like that. I get tolay with the 240 and 203 on my posts. If you were to get LE, you more than likely wont patrol. you will be doing gate guard, WSA, the SrA+ get patrols mostly. the only people i saw that get conus non-prp are re-class from sere, PJ, cct, or 4 year enlistee's. if you are in for six and pass prp..you have probably a 60% chance of getting a missile base. I love malmstrom though. The townee's know not to mess with us, because they see what we're about and respect us for it. Plus you get all the additional training. The facilities here are some of the nicest i have seen my dad was military and so i got to see all the Ca bases, NJ, and Fl. Just keep an open mind about where you are going and make your own opinion

[SFPup]

and I will,
I am down for 6 years and I realize I won't be  in a patrol car everyday. I am here for the AF
not the other way around. I'd like to keep my mind open but you have to know that my goal is civilan LE. Either way the Air Force will take care of me and I will be alright. I'd love to go to Travis. I visted their SFS squadron there and they are seriously squared away. Makes me want to up my ship date and get the heck outta here.  So everybody pray for me to get Travis alright its moved to #1 On my list.

[A1C-IC]

be careful with your dream sheet... if you pick bases in one area they will try to put you in that general area. if you put bases everywhere - east coast/west coast/overseas. they will figure you are willing to go anywhere. so if you want cali..put all bases and only bases cali. as for the career field split i would love to go to a more specialized abd school. tech school is too sporadic

[SFPup]

thanks for the advice,

I am scared that I will get minot. I just don't want a missle base but if I get it I will do my job
and keep on smiling. Thats it. My firefighter friend wants me to put hickam on my dream sheet but..why waste a slot right?

[Conformist]

A1C-IC:  Good on ya for taking Security seriously brother.  A lot of new troops view security as a roadblock on the way to patrol without understanding the importance of a strong security defense.  Hell, most troops these days seem to read how to be a L.E. troop when they are on security.  I went through the Security tech school before the career field merger, and the security troops always worked hard and played hard.  Security members were the largest organized gang in the U.S. Air Force.  There was no such thing as going into a fight alone (a fair fight was when the security dorms emptied and took on all takers).  I am honored that you would call yourself a security troop in a career field where the emphasis of most young troops centers around L.E. because they want to be police officers (they saw one to many episodes of Cops).  Brother, I salute you for picking up the security banner from old security dogs like SF Ramger and me and running with it.  You have a place to stay and two brothers in arms (counting SF Ranger) if you ever end up on Travis.  You're more than welcomed around our camp fire anyday Brother.

[SF_Ranger]

You dont really know. I have a friend that put Hickam on his sheet and got it.

[SFPup]

speaking of hickam,
I was talking to my friend who is there as we speak and I was talking about LE and Security. He reminded me that I have been training to do this since I was in CAP. During Airshows he asked me where did I stand. "at a gate" what about when we roated "at the flight line"  was it boring, I say yes, did you have a smile on your face? I said hell yeah, and it wasnt beacuse of the airplanes flying overhead or beautiful ladys strollin by it was beacuse I got to do something that needed to be done, and I did it very well, w/o any weapons or true authority. I guess I should seriously look towards what I want to do again. I don't just want to do LE and I never said that however I'd like that focus as well.

[A1C-IC]

my biggest fear of working LE is going to a domestic where they guy is beating up his wife or kid. I dont have the tolerance to deal with someone like that. I like security because it is so black and white. You come near my fenceline at an LF or MAF and i ask you to leave. You dont..you going to get jacked the hell up. explain yourself toE when they pick you up in an hour and a half. LE seems to grey area. no set ROE. Plus I would rather lug a 240 300m for a recap rather than check IDs at the gate with a 9mm anyday. Thanks conformist, i am actually back from that area, other side of the benecia brige. I will proudly carry the security banner. As for SF Ranger...you are right, some people get lucky, others put all one area and get korea...but on a standard from what i have read, and talked to a tech over at randolph that is what i gathered...who knows... it's the military there is no such thing as a straight answer. Hua.

[SFPup]

LMFAO! We were just talking about Korea.

I talked to this guy from cali last night and he is mirroring what you all have said.
EXCEPT that I should go overseas to do LE. WTF?