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BULLSEYE
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Protecting those who protect others:
Creech BDOC supports fight against ISIL
By Tech. Sgt. Nadine Barclay
432nd Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing
Public Affairs
CREECH AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. —
They have been called to be guardians of
the base. They work weekends, holidays
and around the clock shifts. They carry
more than 60 pounds of personal protec-
tive gear, which can seem like a never-
ending workout. They are the defenders
always watching and protecting those
who protect others.
The defenders of the 799th Air Base
Group, Base Defense Operations Center
(BDOC) at Creech Air Force Base find
themselves in an isolated location pro-
tecting one of the world’s most sough
after resources: the remotely piloted
aircraft enterprise and its people.
Every security forces operation, no
matter how big or small, must have a
center point or hub to make sure all
operations around base run smoothly.
“The BDOC is the heart of security
forces operations,” said Tech. Sgt. Tracie
Bartlett, 799th Security Forces Squadron
Operations NCO in charge. “The BDOC
controls what’s happening out on the
base by gathering the information and
dispersing it out so that everyone is on
the same page.”
This focal point proves crucial when
it comes to securing assets in excess of
one billion dollars of facilities, aircraft, train, they sponge everything, positive
equipment and personnel needed to fly
24/7, 365-day RPA operations in areas
around the world.
The mission brings one defender at
Creech AFB the greatest feeling of job
satisfaction he’s ever experienced.
“It makes me feel good to be able to
Staff Sgt. Kevin Singleton, 799th Security Forces Squadron flight sergeant, answers a Base Defense
Operations Center radio call at Creech Air Force Base, Nev., Sept. 2. The BDOC is the heart of all
security forces operations supporting the remotely piloted aircraft enterprise at Creech AFB.
Creech Feature 5Sseptember 18, 2015
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do my job,” said Senior Airman Dustin U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Nadine Barclay
Brink, 799th SFS BDOC controller. “Not
only are the crews here saving people, but Staff Sgt. Kevin Singleton, 799th Security Forces Squadron flight sergeant, explains
we are saving people as well by making security procedure to Senior Airman Stephanie Smith and Staff Sgt. Kyle Sluiter,
sure the (RPA operators) are safe. For both 799th SFS Base Defense Operations Center controllers at Creech Air Force Base,
me it’s a giant circle, they are protect- Nev., Sept. 2. The BDOC is the heart of all security forces operations on base and is
ing all the boots on the ground and we responsible for securing more than two billion dollars in remotely piloted aircraft,
are protecting them so that they can do facilities, equipment and personnel.
that job.”
partnered with operators from the 432nd destroying more than 10,684 targets that
Serving as the focal point for security Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing to further deny the enemy the capability to
is the main mission of the BDOC. By ensure Airmen across the board under- inflict damage to America or its allies ac-
maintaining control of a secured net- stand the mission they directly support. cording to U.S. Department of Defense
work for the dispatch of all the patrols as of Aug. 7, 2015.
on base, coupled with security forces “I think we have a good relationship
Airmen, this facility ensures the base is with the ops side so we swap Airmen ev- Without the security and peace of
fully secure at all times. ery now and then,” said Brink. “This lets mind provided by the BDOC and as-
us get a firsthand look at what the RPAs sociated defenders, the success of RPA
In addition, defenders man the emer- do on their side and gives their Airmen operations would be directly impacted.
gency 911 system which proves vital since the chance to see what we do on our side.”
Creech AFB is located approximately 45 “There’s no room for complacency
miles from the nearest emergency care With the average age of Airmen fly- with the mission we support here,” said
facility. This is a responsibility many ing RPA combat missions being 18 to Bartlett.
might not encounter until much later 24 years old, these Airmen and those of
into their careers. the 799th ABG have much in common. A challenge that’s avoided by deliber-
Building on this existing relationship ately developing Airmen with education,
“I honestly believe that despite having has proved beneficial to completing the proper training and their personal dedi-
such a young squadron they are definitely mission downrange. cation to the mission at hand.
professionals,” said Bartlett. “I believe
that they take their job very seriously; Since the beginning of Operation In- “As long as we make sure nothing hap-
they know that they support the mission herent Resolve, the RPA enterprise has pens to them, they can make sure noth-
and that their leadership supports them.” been vital in the war against the Islamic ing happens to the guys on the ground,
State of Iraq and the Levant. Airstrikes and that, to me, is the most important
Despite having a young force of de- have been responsible for damaging or thing we do,” said Brink. “We have each
fenders protecting this one-of-a-kind other’s back.”
capability, what they lack in age they
make up for in dedication and willing-
ness to serve others.
“They are so eager to learn, eager to
and negative,” said Bartlett. “They have
the youth and the energy so I can only
see this getting better.”
Since understanding how each mem-
ber plays their part in the mission is an
important lesson to learn, defenders have
U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Nadine Barclay Airman 1st Class Deborah
Clark, 799th Security Forces
Squadron alarm monitor,
checks base cameras for
abnormal activities at the
Base Defense Operations
Center at Creech Air Force
Base, Nev., Sept. 2. The
BDOC’s mission is to maintain
positive security of the
base, control the dispatch
and alarm systems, and
control entry procedures
while also providing
emergency 911 services to
Creech and local authorities.
U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Nadine Barclay