Security Specialist
Missile Field Camper Team 1967
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Security duties performed by Air Police, Security Police and Security Forces include securing aircraft on flightlines, priority resources in Weapons Storage Areas and missile field security. The Aerospace Systems Security Program was built upon base and site security operations and these two operations shared three principles: All security programs existed to “counteract the analyzed threat of enemy action;” all security programs would share a “uniform and specific priority structure;” and across the Air Force “a high order of standardization in security doctrine, procedures, facilities, and terms will prevail.” The “uniform and specific priority structure” established by AFM 207-1 classified aerospace systems as Priority A, B, and C. Priority A systems were strategic bombers and tactical and air defense fighter aircraft in “cocked” status on alert, armed and ready to launch; alert refueling and electronic countermeasures aircraft; alert aircrews and aerospace ground equipment (AGE) used for starting engines on alert aircraft; missiles on strategic alert and on-duty missile combat crews and facilities essential to their launch; nuclear weapons storage sites; and components of command and control and early warning systems. Regardless of classification, priority resources were to be segregated in restricted areas subject to entry control procedures. Certain Priority A resources also required close security areas within the restricted area. For example, for Priority A aircraft on the ramp, the close security area perimeter was required to be established “not closer than 10 feet nor farther than wing tip distance from the fuselage.”40 The close security area perimeter was the innermost line of security control; even the aircraft’s guards were not allowed across that line. Only the aircraft commander could authorize entry into the close security area. When nuclear weapons were involved, whether loaded aboard an aircraft or not, a “no lone” zone could be designated in accordance with AFR 122-4. Inside a “no lone” zone, the “Two-Man System” applied and no individual was allowed inside the zone unless accompanied by another. The “Two-Man System” was primarily a nuclear safety/reliability requirement and Air Police officers were reminded by headquarters that ensuring compliance was not a primary responsibility of the Air Police. Priority A and B resource restricted areas required entry control procedures. Because of the nature of the resource entry control procedures were the strictest for Priority A. To enter these areas two things were needed: verifiable authority and verifiable identity. Those personnel who required routine access to a restricted area could be issued a badge allowing unescorted entry; otherwise, a temporary pass requiring an escort could be issued if the individual was vouched for by someone authorized to do so. Two verification systems were used. The exchange badge system involved two identical restricted area badges with one worn by the individual and the other kept in the entry control point (ECP). When the individual desired entry he exchanged his badge for the one in the ECP after the sentry on duty compared the two. The single badge procedure required the ECP controller to verify the photograph and physical description on the badge with the individual’s features. Two up channel reports were provided to cover incidents involving aerospace systems. The first, nicknamed HELPING HAND, was used to report a hostile or possibly hostile event had been detected at a base or site. If investigation confirmed or reasonably established enemy action at the base or site, emergency security operations were to be initiated and a COVERED WAGON report sent to higher headquarters.42 Although not part of the AFM 207-1 lexicon, an incident involving the compromise of a nuclear weapon was codenamed BROKEN ARROW. These standardized reports replaced the SEVEN HIGH reports previously used to report a weapons system security violation. excerpt from "Defenders of the Force The US Air Force Security Forces 1947-2006"Col Jerry Bullock and James Lee Conrad. 
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Female Test Program 811X0: Forgotten History
In 1976 the US Air Force allowed a select group of women to enter the Security Specialist career field. This is one women's story.
Aircraft/WeaponsStorage Area Security
Arcraft and Weapons Storage Area security was laid out in AFR 207-1 Air Force Physical Security Program which was replaced with Air Force Instruction (AFI) 31-101 The Physical Security Program. All flights and security for priority resources were subject to this regulation. We have listed below the major posts that were required.
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Flight Leaders.
Flight Leaders oversee supervision of each flight.
Flight Chiefs:
• Manage the basic operative and administrative functions of the element.
• Assume the duties of absent element leaders or serve as element leaders if none is authorized.
Squad Leaders.
Squad Leaders directly supervise and train:
• Fire team (FT) leaders.
• Squad specialists such as Entry Controllers and Security Controllers.
Area Supervisors.
Area Supervisors serve as senior security force members assigned to specific restricted areas
Entry Controllers (EC).
ECs control entry to restricted areas.
Assistant Entry Controllers:
• Search vehicles and personnel.
• Help the EC at a restricted areas containing nuclear resources.
Close Boundary Sentries (CBS).
CBSs guard restricted area boundaries or priority resources that aren't protected with exterior IDS.
Close-in Sentries (CIS).
CISs control entry and guard approaches to close-in areas that contain nuclear resources or aircraft designated priority A resources.
Immediate Visual Assessment (IVA) Sentries.
IVA sentries watch exterior Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) that the MSCFO can't see because of poor visibility or blind zones.
Master Surveillance Control FacilityOperators (MSCFO).
MSCFOs:
• Assess exterior IDS by line-of-sight or using closed-circuit television (CCTV).
• Control entry into structures, alert shelters, and individual resources.
• Act as a subordinate control center for security forces posted during normal operations.
Security Response Teams (SRT).
SRTs consist of 2 security force members who can tactically respond within 5 minutes to priority resource emergencies.
Alarm Response Teams(ART).
ARTs consistof 2 security force members dedicated to a restricted areato respond immediately if possible, but no longer than 5minutes, to alarms or incidents. ARTs may work in single-person mobile patrols.
Alarm Monitors.
Alarm monitors control entry into alarmed storage structures, alert aircraft shelters and
Security Controllers.
Security controllers direct security forces during normal and emergency security operations.
Alert Fire Team (AFT).
AFTs consist of 4 security force members dedicated to nuclear resources. Until dispatched, AFT members remain in hardened AFT facilities provided within their assigned restricted areas.
Mobile Patrols.
Mobile patrols consist of asecurity force member dedicated to a specific restricted area or individual resource. The mobile patrol must watch over assigned resources and respond to alarms and incidents..
Mobile Fire Teams (MFT).
MFTs
Consist of 4 security force members on a FT or any combination of SRTs, ARTs, and mobile patrols.
• Respond to situations involving priority resources.
• May work in smaller teams.
Remote Display Area Operator.
Remote display area operators support MSCFOs by monitoring remote display areas for restricted areas containing nuclear weapons.
AFR 207-1 Air Force Physical Security Program
Flight line Memory
Airman Third Class (A3C) Frank Farris was one of those aerospace security forces personnel upon which the Aerospace Security Program depended. Fresh out of basic training, Farris was assigned on a direct duty assignment (DDA) to Pease AFB, New Hampshire’s, Air Police force. Like all DDAs he was assigned to the Air Police having had no Air Police training. A Floridian, he was amazed by the cold and snow of the New Hampshire winter and absolutely puzzled by the cold weather gear he was issued. Since no one explained how to put the bulky clothing on when it was issued, Farris went searching for “someone who had been there awhile…to explain to me how you donned the cold weather gear.”44 When he finally got himself dressed he found that he could, “barely walk…decked out like a bunny” in mukluks and heavy quilted pants.
Young Farris waddled to the CSC and drew a .30 caliber carbine, crawled into the back of a truck with some other troops and set out for his posting as a boundary guard in the alert aircraft area. The truck stopped, his name was called, and he “stumbled” out of the truck and went around to the front of the vehicle.
Standing in the headlights was an Airman who handed him a package with the special security instructions, or SSIs, for the post and then clambered into the truck which drove off into the dark, trailing a cloud of snow. Frank Farris was now alone on the
flightline and “it’s dark; it’s cold; it’s snowing. I have no idea what I’m doing, don’t know…what direction is north, south, east, or west.” Swallowing his panic and fighting off desperation, Farris pulled out his flashlight to read his SSI’s in hope that they might tell him what to do. The SSI’s told him the limits of his post, but since he had no idea where he was he had no idea where those
limits were.
Seeing three B-47 bombers looming up in the snow, he started walking toward them when a voice shouted out of the darkness,
“Halt! Don’t come any closer.”
Farris: “Wait, wait. I need help. Come over and talk to me.”
Farris had wandered into another Airman’s post. Within the shadow of three nuclear armed bombers a comic conversation took place.
Airman: “I can’t talk to you. It’s a violation of my SSI.”
Farris: “Well, I’m new. I don’t know what to do, so yell at me. Tell me what to do.”
excerpt from "Defenders of the Force The US Air Force Security Forces 1947-2006" Col Jerry Bullock and James Lee Conrad.
.
Flight Leaders.
Flight Leaders oversee supervision of each flight.
Flight Chiefs:
• Manage the basic operative and administrative functions of the element.
• Assume the duties of absent element leaders or serve as element leaders if none is authorized.
Squad Leaders.
Squad Leaders directly supervise and train:
• Fire team (FT) leaders.
• Squad specialists such as Entry Controllers and Security Controllers.
Area Supervisors.
Area Supervisors serve as senior security force members assigned to specific restricted areas
Entry Controllers (EC).
ECs control entry to restricted areas.
Assistant Entry Controllers:
• Search vehicles and personnel.
• Help the EC at a restricted areas containing nuclear resources.
Close Boundary Sentries (CBS).
CBSs guard restricted area boundaries or priority resources that aren't protected with exterior IDS.
Close-in Sentries (CIS).
CISs control entry and guard approaches to close-in areas that contain nuclear resources or aircraft designated priority A resources.
Immediate Visual Assessment (IVA) Sentries.
IVA sentries watch exterior Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) that the MSCFO can't see because of poor visibility or blind zones.
Master Surveillance Control FacilityOperators (MSCFO).
MSCFOs:
• Assess exterior IDS by line-of-sight or using closed-circuit television (CCTV).
• Control entry into structures, alert shelters, and individual resources.
• Act as a subordinate control center for security forces posted during normal operations.
Security Response Teams (SRT).
SRTs consist of 2 security force members who can tactically respond within 5 minutes to priority resource emergencies.
Alarm Response Teams(ART).
ARTs consistof 2 security force members dedicated to a restricted areato respond immediately if possible, but no longer than 5minutes, to alarms or incidents. ARTs may work in single-person mobile patrols.
Alarm Monitors.
Alarm monitors control entry into alarmed storage structures, alert aircraft shelters and
Security Controllers.
Security controllers direct security forces during normal and emergency security operations.
Alert Fire Team (AFT).
AFTs consist of 4 security force members dedicated to nuclear resources. Until dispatched, AFT members remain in hardened AFT facilities provided within their assigned restricted areas.
Mobile Patrols.
Mobile patrols consist of asecurity force member dedicated to a specific restricted area or individual resource. The mobile patrol must watch over assigned resources and respond to alarms and incidents..
Mobile Fire Teams (MFT).
MFTs
Consist of 4 security force members on a FT or any combination of SRTs, ARTs, and mobile patrols.
• Respond to situations involving priority resources.
• May work in smaller teams.
Remote Display Area Operator.
Remote display area operators support MSCFOs by monitoring remote display areas for restricted areas containing nuclear weapons.
AFR 207-1 Air Force Physical Security Program
Flight line Memory
Airman Third Class (A3C) Frank Farris was one of those aerospace security forces personnel upon which the Aerospace Security Program depended. Fresh out of basic training, Farris was assigned on a direct duty assignment (DDA) to Pease AFB, New Hampshire’s, Air Police force. Like all DDAs he was assigned to the Air Police having had no Air Police training. A Floridian, he was amazed by the cold and snow of the New Hampshire winter and absolutely puzzled by the cold weather gear he was issued. Since no one explained how to put the bulky clothing on when it was issued, Farris went searching for “someone who had been there awhile…to explain to me how you donned the cold weather gear.”44 When he finally got himself dressed he found that he could, “barely walk…decked out like a bunny” in mukluks and heavy quilted pants.
Young Farris waddled to the CSC and drew a .30 caliber carbine, crawled into the back of a truck with some other troops and set out for his posting as a boundary guard in the alert aircraft area. The truck stopped, his name was called, and he “stumbled” out of the truck and went around to the front of the vehicle.
Standing in the headlights was an Airman who handed him a package with the special security instructions, or SSIs, for the post and then clambered into the truck which drove off into the dark, trailing a cloud of snow. Frank Farris was now alone on the
flightline and “it’s dark; it’s cold; it’s snowing. I have no idea what I’m doing, don’t know…what direction is north, south, east, or west.” Swallowing his panic and fighting off desperation, Farris pulled out his flashlight to read his SSI’s in hope that they might tell him what to do. The SSI’s told him the limits of his post, but since he had no idea where he was he had no idea where those
limits were.
Seeing three B-47 bombers looming up in the snow, he started walking toward them when a voice shouted out of the darkness,
“Halt! Don’t come any closer.”
Farris: “Wait, wait. I need help. Come over and talk to me.”
Farris had wandered into another Airman’s post. Within the shadow of three nuclear armed bombers a comic conversation took place.
Airman: “I can’t talk to you. It’s a violation of my SSI.”
Farris: “Well, I’m new. I don’t know what to do, so yell at me. Tell me what to do.”
excerpt from "Defenders of the Force The US Air Force Security Forces 1947-2006" Col Jerry Bullock and James Lee Conrad.
Missile Security
In the missile field, security forces members protect the secured areas of the main base, the Launch Control Facilities, any Launch Facilities being worked on, as well as escorting national security assets and responding to security situations.
Security Escort Team (SET)
The SET guards' primary job is to protect the Launch Facility while it has technicians inside, since all of it's anti-intrusion gear has been bypassed. There are usually 2 SET guards armed with M-16's on a dispatching team. In the case of escorting and installing nuclear warheads, this increases dramatically, as these groups are escorted by Fire and Tiger teams.
Fire and Tiger Teams
These are 4 man groups that travel by armored vehicles and helicopters respectively. These teams have much more firepower, including M-60 machine guns and M-203 grenade launchers. these teams are present whenever a warhead is sent to the field or removed.
Armed Response Teams (ART)
This team investigates intrusion alarms on the sites, and conduct alarm testing to insure all systems are functioning properly.
Camper Teams
Guard sites with broken alarm systems or have other severe maintenance issues.
Field Security Controller
Is located at each Launch Control Facility. He dispatches the ART to alarms, gives access to maintenance and security teams and interacts with the launch officers.
Security Escort Team (SET)
The SET guards' primary job is to protect the Launch Facility while it has technicians inside, since all of it's anti-intrusion gear has been bypassed. There are usually 2 SET guards armed with M-16's on a dispatching team. In the case of escorting and installing nuclear warheads, this increases dramatically, as these groups are escorted by Fire and Tiger teams.
Fire and Tiger Teams
These are 4 man groups that travel by armored vehicles and helicopters respectively. These teams have much more firepower, including M-60 machine guns and M-203 grenade launchers. these teams are present whenever a warhead is sent to the field or removed.
Armed Response Teams (ART)
This team investigates intrusion alarms on the sites, and conduct alarm testing to insure all systems are functioning properly.
Camper Teams
Guard sites with broken alarm systems or have other severe maintenance issues.
Field Security Controller
Is located at each Launch Control Facility. He dispatches the ART to alarms, gives access to maintenance and security teams and interacts with the launch officers.
