The New Security Forces:

Over the past 10 years, the Air Force has changed—dramatically—the mission of its Security Forces. Air Force journalist Maj. Ann Peru Knabe talked with a few of the new breed of Security Forces, noting that the “expeditionary Security Forces airman of today deploys for six moths at a time, serving at air bases, Army camps, and detention facilities throughout the [area of operations].” Says, 379th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron superintendent SMSgt. Juan Thomas, prepping for a six-month rotation begins a month early, when the airmen master convoy security, base defense, and urban terrain tactics. His boss, Lt. Col. Richard Neal, “In the last 10 years, we’ve taken steps to increase the lethality of our airmen,” embracing “the principle of aggressive defense” and increasing “our offensive skill sets.” (Read more in our January article “The Security Forces Rewrite.”)