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![]() A Special Presentation From Hahn Air Base, W. Ger. 50th K-9 Section! ![]() The Air Policeman was born with the aviation age. He has worn many uniforms and insignia. In his early years he wore army khaki and the military police brassard with the crossed pistols of the Corps of Military Police. As aviation came of age, he still looked like a military police man but unlike his Army counterpart who was continually on the move, the Air Policeman's base of operation remained static. The threat he had to guard against was likely to be a saboteur or a small guerrilla attack on his air field (base). With the end of World War II and the emergence of the United States Air Force as a separate service; it gave birth to the Air Policeman, along with a new identity and a new mission. In Korea the skill of the air policeman were honed in battle and from that police action we became the infantry of the Air Force. During the Cold War, we maintain our new missions, along with manpower shortages and the austerity program! In Vietnam we earned our spurs. There for almost ten years we maintained ten bases essentially sacred from enemy attack. In most attacks the sapper died on the wire instead of running amok inside the airfield and destroying the aircraft. We came out of Vietnam with a new sense of respect for our selves and a new recognition of our role by the leadership of the Air Force. In the years that followed Vietnam, we ceased being an all male force and welcomed women into every area of Security Police operations. As you read this brief historical timeline of us, you will become familiar with names like Kimp'o, Berlin, Saigon, Tehran and Bosia, where we have served with distinction! Wherever the U.S. Air Force has gone for the last fifty years, the Air - Security Policeman has gone with it. Wherever the Air - Security Policeman has gone people have taken notice. This is our story. ..1947............1948............1966..........Present ![]() United States Air Force's Security Forces' Historical Timeline! 1920 - The Army Authorization Act of 1920 provided for the establishment of reserve Military Police units but it existed on paper only. No Military Police units were actually formed, not until 1941, when the first military police units were placed on a permanent basis, and given their own doctine training and other attributes of a professional unit. 1939 April 3 - President F. D. Roosevelt signs the National Defense Act of 1940, which authorized a $300 million budget and 6,000 air planes for the Army Air Corps and increase AAC personnel to 3,203 officers and 45,000 enlisted troops. 1941 June 20 - United States Army Air Force established. 1941 February 12th - General George C. Marshall, US Army Chief of Staff, approved an apportionment of 53,299 blacks to the Army Air Forces. Note: Marshall added "the stipulation that air base defense units be organized and the Negro personnel be used only for this purpose." 1941 November - The US Army Air Force (AAF), for the first time, established a number of black Air Base Security Battalions (ABS), for air base defense; structured loosely on the RAF's Royal Air Force Infantry Regiments. (See related article, this page). 1942 December 9 - The US Army is reorganized into three autonomous forces: Army Air Force, Ground Forces and Services of Supply. 1943 - Position, Air Provost Marshal created by General H.H. Arnold. 1943 - All black ABS Battalions introduced to combat in the North African and Mediterranean Theaters. Note: By 1943, with the U.S. Army Air Force gaining control of the skies in Europe, the deactivation of the ABS Battalions began in the MTO; however they continued to serve in the PTO until the end of the war. 1943 March 19 - Lt. General H. Hap Arnold is promoted to four-star rank, a first for the Army Air Force.
1944 December 21 - General Henry "Hap" Arnold becomes General of the Army, the first airman to hold five-star rank. 1945 - V-E Day, the war ends in Europe. 1945 - August 15th, V-J Day, the war ends in the Pacific. 1946 - Colonel Mitchell "Mike" Mabardy (considered the father of Security Police) was appointed by General Carl Spaatz to plan and formulate the new Air Force's Military Police (MP) Force. 1947 September 18 - The US Air Force is established as a separate service, with W. Stuart Symington appointed as the first Secretary of the Air Force. General Carl A. Spaatz, Commanding General of the AAF, bcomes first Chief of Staff on Sept. 26th. Brig General J. V. Dillon became the first Air Provost Marshal. ![]() 1947-50 - Army Olive Drab Service Dress, khaki, tan, and cotton utility uniforms were worn with minor changes in the way of Air Force chevrons. MP and Air Police brassard worn for identification. ![]() 1947 - Civilan Service Units established in the oversea commands. CSUs, were foreign born personel, who were generally attached to the Air Police's Law Enforcement sections, as interpreters. 1948 - Name changed: Military Police became Air Police (AP) in the newly created Air Force. 1948 January 2 - USAF General Order #1 formally placed the new Air Force Provost Marshal under the authority of the Air Force Inspector General. 1949 July 1 - The U.S. Air Force becomes the first service to end racial segregation in its ranks. 1950 - Kimp'o Air Base (SAC), So. Korea, strafed by North Korean fighters. As a result, Colonel James Luper, Air Provost Marshal, is ordered by General Curtis LeMay to build a Ranger trained elite ground combat force for the Strategic Air Command (SAC). This force was the predecessor of Air Base Defense and was nicknamed "Lupers Troopers". 1950 June 25 - The Korean War starts and forces the rapid expansion of the Air Police manpower, from 10,000 troops to 39,000 by December, 1951. 1950 - Introduction of Air Force blue (shade 84) service dress uniform.
1950 - September - An Air Police School was established at Tyndall AFB, Florida. 1951 - Strategic Air Command's Security School for Air Base Defense established at Fort Carson, CO. 1952 - Army olive drab service uniform phased out. 1953 - First USAF Air Base Defense school established at Parks AFB, California, for regular AP units. 1953 - Korean War ends! The major lesson learned from the war... was 'Resourse Protection.' 1956 January - Air Provost Marshal title changed to Provost Marshal under the leadership of Brig Gen W. L. Fagg. 1956 - White Service cap authorized for Air Police units. Note: White helmet liners, white service cap covers and blue helmet liners with AP and SP insignias were being worn in the late 40's and early 50's before the white service cap was approved. Troops who wore white helmet liners, were known as "snow drops!" 1956 October 13 - Air Police School moved to Lackland AFB, San Antonio, Texas. ![]() 1956 - USAF opens Military Working Dog (MWD) training centers overseas: Wiesbaden, Germany and Showa AB, Japan. 1957 - The Air Force assumed training of all sentry dogs for the Department of Defense and opens the Security Dog Training School, at Lackland AFB, San Antonio, Texas. ![]() 1959 -First official AF Air Police Shield (issued to replace brassard) was presented to Air Police Marshal, Brig. Gen. Burnham by Vice Chief of Staff, USAF, General Curtis E. LeMay. Note: Locally manufactured Air Police shield were worn before the official shield was approved. |
1960 - Removal of blue enamel Air Police Shield because of chipping, changed to oxidized silver. 1960 January 4 - Small arms training was turned over to the Base Marksmanship School (Red Caps). 1961 January 12 - Night firing of the pistol and carbine was added to Air Police training. 1961 - Introduction of light-weight blue uniform combinations. 1961 March 15 - Provost Marshal title changes to Director of Security and Law Enforcement under the leadership of Brig Gen R. F. Burnham, to reflect changes on security role of Air Police. ![]() 1961 - Missile security was formally established with the first Titan sites at Dans - Monthan AFB, AZ., McConnell AFB, KN., Little Rock AFB, AR., and Malstrom AFB, MT. 1961 August 13 - Germany: Soviets erect the Berlin Wall; after a 24-hour tank face off at Checkpoint Charlie. 1961 - "Operation Farmgate." Air Policemen deploy to guard US cantonment areas at Tan Son Nhut AB, Bien Hoa AB, and DaNang AB, Vietnam. 1961 - December - Colonel Renee Rubin awarded the entry level Security Police Officer AFSC 8121. 1962 - .38 caliber revolvers phased in to replace .45 caliber pistols at SAC units. ![]() 1962 June - New silver plated police shields replaces the oxidized silver version, which was making black marks on the uniforms. 1962 - October - Cuban Missile Crisis! 1963 - Crisis in Panama! 1963 December - USAF had one Air Police officer and 280 enlisted on TDY status in Vietnam. One out of every 16 new recruits became an Air Policeman. 1963 - Director of Security and Law Enforcement position reverts from 0-7 to 0-6 position under the leadership of Col A. T. Learnard. 1964 - Short "Ike" jacket phased out. 1964 June - M-16 rifle with 5.56mm ammo phrased in to replace M-1 and M-2 carbines. M16 web gear replaces M1 Carbine web gear. 1964 - Name "Sabotage Alert Team" changed to "Security Alert Team." ![]() 1965 - Silver Tan khaki uniform phased out. Tropical bush jacket phased out. Local manufacturing of fatigues with subdued name tapes and stripes authorized during Vietnam War. (Cotton fatigues, OD tropical style, Camo topical style). Combination1505 tan uniform replaced less durable 505 combination. 1965 - Operation Safeside Beret. Change from Air Police to Security Police. 1965 January - Grenade launcher training added to M-16. 1965 Vietnam - Manpower requirements for southeast Asia jumped from 148 to 2,880. 1965 - SSgt Terrence Jensen is first AP killed in Vietnam. SSgt Jensen was killed on July 1 while flushing out VietCong sappers at DaNang AB. This incident brought MWD teams to Vietnam , and by 1966, not one Air Base had been penetrated by bases guarded with MWD's. 1965 September - Air Police squadrons receive their first armored vehicles, since postwar Korea cutbacks. 1965 November - Training conference at Hamilton AFB, CA, changed Air Police training to include self-defense and contact preparedness. 1966 - Air Police strength for southeast Asia increased to 5,000. 1966 November - Air Police name changed to Security Police. Specialty code for enlisted, changed from 77XXX to 81XXX. 1966 - First "down channel" alerting system was developed by US MACSV in Vietnam. 1966 December - Title changes from Director of Security and Law Enforcement to Director of Security Police with the "Safeside" mission under the leadership of Col D. C. Shultis. 1966 - Special Order G-42, July 18,1966, activated the 1041st Security Strike Force Squadron (Test) commanded by Lt Col William Wise and gave birth to Operation Safe Side. This unit was Ranger trained to provide an aggressive role in air base defense. Later they were renamed the 1041st Security Police Squadron (Test). ![]() 1966 - Light blue beret with falcon emblem authorized for use for combat security police assigned to 1041st SPS(T), visible recognition of our role as a special purpose unit. 1967 - 1041st SPS(T) arrived at Phu Cat AB, Vietnam. 1968 - Tet Offensive: Division strength NVA and Viet Cong hit the fences at Ton Son Nhut, Bien Hoa, DaNang, and Tuy Hoa Air Bases. Attacks continued through February, but the security police held their ground; not one air base was lost to the enemy. 1969 - Major emphasis on riot control particularly within AIC and MAC, caused the addition of a 12-hour course to basic Security Police training. 1969 August - First official patrol dog training class began. Sentry (attack) dog training was phased out. 1971 - CMS J. A. Renfroe becomes first Chief Master Sergeant of Security Police under Col R. E. Blauw, Director of Security Police. 1971 - Security Police career field split in two, Security Police and Law Enforcement, to facilitate promotions. 1971 - Women allowed to enter the Law Enforcement career field; also authorized to wear a white beret. 1971 - November - First six women graduated from the Law Enforcement Course (Sgt. Biggs, A1c Foster, A1c Byers, A1c Heims, and A1c Hollingsworth). 1973 - First female SP commissioned officer, Lt Sally Kucera, graduates Officer Academy School. 1973 - First female graduated from Security Police Officers Course, Lt Sally Kucera aka Col. Sally Uebelacker.
1973 - December - First females entered Patrol Dog Handler's Course and graduated in 1974. (Airmen Shiela Dugan and Rickie Thompson) 1974 - July - Women enters Corrections & Confinement at the 3320th Retraining Group. Lowry AFB, CO. 1975 - Authorization of SP Qualification Badges, dark blue beret, white scarf, and blue short jacket. 1975 March - Special Order GA-12 creates Office of Chief of Security Police as a Special Staff Agency to the Air Force Chief of Staff Brig Gen (Maj Gen selectee) T. M. Sadler becomes Chief of Security Police. 1975 - 320 SP's direct the evacuation of Saigon during the airlift. Air Force police units were the first in and the last to leave Vietnam. 1975 - First all female MWD Demonstration Team at 3rd SPS, Clark AB, Pi. (A1c's Siller, Wood, Sessoms, Shapiro, Dondeville, Ries and Anderson) 1975 - Major General Tom Sandler becomes the first Security Police general officer. 1976 - March - First three female Security Police Officers graduates from ABGD-III Course (1 Lt Pamila Krauss, 2 Lt Noreen Aberico, and 2 Lt Patricia Schafer). 1976 - October - 18 month test program begins for women in Security Specalist career field. 100 women enter program and are sent to 4 bases (Barsdale AFB, Grand Folks AFB, Nellis AFB, and Osan AB, Korea). At the end of the test, career field remains closed to women. Participants in the program were allowed to retrain or separate from the Air Force. 1977 - New Security Police Museum dedicated at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. 1978 - Title of Chief Master Sergeant of Security Police changes to Senior Enlisted Advisor to the USAF Chief of Security Police, under CMS Robert J. McLaurine. 1978 - Tan 1505 uniform phased out. 1978 October - Office of Chief of Security Police realigned at Air Staff and becomes Separate Operating Agency again responsible to the Air Force Inspector General. Air Force Office of Security Police (AFOSP) relocated from Washington D.C. to Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, under the leadership of Brig Gen W. R. Brooksher. 1979 - Emergency Services Team (EST) school established, Lackland AFB, Texas. ![]() 1980 - Introduction of subdued stripes and nametapes to fatigues. (Became mandatory in 1983, replacing blue and white). Permanent press durable fatigues phased in, to replace cotton. Woodland pattern BDU's introduced. Cloth badge introduced; miniature badge for women introduced. 1982 - March - Col (Brig Gen selectee) P. N. Scheidel becomes first career Security Police Officer to hold the position of Chief of Security Police. He is concurrently Commander of AFOSP and Assistant Inspector General of Security Police at Air Staff. 1982 - CATM was put under the operational control of Security Police units. 1984 - Women allowed to enter the Security Police career field. 1985 - January 18th - Airman Virginia Queen (ANG) became first female to attend the Security Specialist Course under the permanent program. She graduated on March 4th, 1985. 1985 - May 1st - Twelve active duty females, Class 850510, became first all female flight in Security Specialist Training. 1987 - Air Base Ground Defense moved to Fort Dix, NJ, and the Army took over responsibility to train SPs in Ground Combat Skills. 1990 - M9 Pistol feather end nylon web gear introduced to replace .38 caliber. OD fatigues phased out, replaced by BDU's. 1990 - August - Operation Desert Shield: The first Security Police unit deployed to Saudi Arabia, was from Hahn Air Base, Germany. Members of The 50th SPS were located, 5 km from the Kuwait border, before the world even knew there was a problem in the Gulf. 1991 - "Chocolate Chip" Desert BDU worn in Operation Desert Storm. Leather nametags with embossed shield introduced. Mid 90's - Desert pattern BDU replaces "Chocolate Chip" pattern. 1991 February - Brig. Gen. F. K. Martin, Chief of Security Police, becomes a member of the Chief of Staff of the Air Force special staff. (HO USAF/SP) AFOSP becomes Field Operating Agency and Col F. L. Miller takes command in March 1991. AFOSP is redesignated AFSPC (Air Force Security Police Center) in April 1991. 1991 August 20th - Airman Laurie A. Lucas became the first Security Policewoman killed in the Line of Duty (633rd SPS, Anderson AB, Guam). 1995 - August - Ground Combat Skills moves back under control of the Air Force, and moves to Camp Bullis, TX. 1995 - December 6 - The first airmen arrived in Tuzla Bosnia, preparing the airfield for some of the 20,000 U.S. and 40,000 NATO troops enforcing the peace accord reached at Wright Patterson Air Base. 1996 - June - Khobar Towers bombing directly led to a change in AF doctrine, leading to a new Force Protection Attitude for the Air Force. 1997 January - Title changes from Chief of Security Police to Director of Security Forces under the leadership of Brig General R. A. Coleman. Title changes from S.E.A. to USAF CSP to Air Force Security Forces Manager under CMS Daryl Janicki. ![]() 1997 March 17 - Stand-up of 820th SFG at Lackland AFB, San Antonio, TX under Colonel L. Buckingham. 1997 June 13 - Stand-up of Force Protection Battlelab at Lackland AFB, TX, under Colonel D. J. Collins. 1997 October 31 - Career field name officially changes from Security Police to Security Forces. Security and Law Enforcement unify under one AFSC. 1997 November - HQ AFSFC relocates to Lackland AFB, TX from Kirtland AFB, New Mexico. 1997 - Security Police became Security Forces. Cloth flash replaces MAJCOM beret crest. 1998 August - 17th Air Force, Ramstein, Germany, sent Security Forces to the U.S. Embassy's bombing in Kenza, Africa. The unit was on the ground within 12 hours of the explosion. 1999 April - Operation Shining Hope, 17th USAFE, again Ramstein Sembach "cops" were the first on the ground at Tirana, Albania. A HISTORY STILL BEING WRITTEN
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