Joint patrols keep ‘Lik’ in good hands

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Tim Beckham
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
They may not be as well known as Riggs and Murtaugh, Tango and Cash or Starsky and Hutch, but members of the 39th Security Forces Squadron and the Turkish Air Force are partners all the same.

"The joint patrol is actually the way we do integrated base defense here," said Maj. Brian Gillespie, 39th SFS commander. "Joint patrols allow us a way to immediately contact both Turkish and American personnel and provide the same level of service in one-stop shopping with a single patrol."

They may wear different uniforms, have a different culture and even speak a different language, but one thing is for sure, they have the same mission - protecting base members and assets.

"We all understand that we are guests on this installation," said Master Sgt. Joel Davis, 39th SFS noncommissioned officer in charge of police services. "The TuAF has external security and they control entry on to the base and we are responsible for the safety and security of our own personnel and resources. With the two being merged together on joint patrols we find that middle ground to talk back and fourth, which allows us to help any anybody on base."

Even though there are a few barriers when it comes to joint patrols, the good outweigh the bad.

"The major benefit is command and control," said Major Gillespie. "We have two very large security forces elements on this installation, both armed and highly motivated and the seam is at the joint patrol. The only real way to answer calls and make sure the two forces don't run over each other is to put them in a joint configuration."

One of the most beneficial things about joint patrols is the fact that Americans and Turks can learn from one another.

"One of the biggest things the Turks learn from us are the tactics we use on a day-to-day basis and one of the biggest things the Americans learn is their culture and that not everyone thinks like we do," said Capt. James Alves 39th SFS operations officer.

Whether it's a Turk or an American in need, the joint patrols do everything they can to ensure we're in good hands.