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Balad Airmen keep order, maintain security

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Travis Edwards
  • 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq --  The following story includes comments from an Airman deployed from the 92nd Security Forces Squadron:

Maintaining a safe and secure base for deployed members would be impossible without the help of a group of Balad Air Base Airmen who took an oath, promising to serve and protect their fellow troops.

Ensuring a safe and secure environment here are the Airmen of the 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, Det. 1, Provost Marshal Office, or PMO.

"We're here to create a place that is secure for everyone," said Capt. Julia Jefferson, the 332nd ESFS Det. 1 Provost Marshal, deployed from Bolling Air Force Base, D.C. "We want to make sure that when an Airman or Soldier comes in from a convoy, he has a place that is secure so he can relax."

And although infractions happen, the captain said the number of offenses here are relatively low based on the population.

"I would contribute the low number of offenses here to leadership involvement and portrayal of expectations, along with PMO's community policing and presence around the base," the captain said.

Aside from keeping the base protected, PMO members also collect and destroy contraband found during inspections and in the amnesty boxes.

Additionally, PMO Airmen respond to indirect fire attacks. While most people take cover, PMO members rush to secure the scene of impact to protect others from any unexploded ordnance and confirm full detonation or other possible UXOs.

"The responsibility of our job really hit home when two of my patrolmen told me they saw a mortar hit 50 meters to the left of their vehicle and then another 100 meters to the right -- and then I saw the crater for myself," Captain Jefferson said.

Senior Master Sgt. Scott Powers, the 332nd ESFS PMO provost sergeant, deployed from Fairchild AFB, Wash., said the team is here to serve and protect deployed members.

"Their well-being and safety is our main concern," he said. "We are doing you a favor by stopping someone from doing something unsafe, preventing them from injuring someone else."