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United States Air Force

Fallen defenders remembered at Police Week boat dedication

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EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- The 96th Security Forces Squadron honored fallen defenders by dedicating their names to three of their patrol boats during a ceremony to close out Police Week May 16, 2025.

Police Week

Photos of three fallen security forces Airmen stand in front of 96th Security Forces Squadron patrol boats that bear their name during the unit’s Police Week closing ceremony May 16 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The event was a naming ceremony for the unit’s three patrol boats. (U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Jr.)
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1st Lt. Joseph D. Helton, Staff Sgt. Todd Lobraico and Tech. Sgt. Michael Barron had their names added to a specific boat, and their last names became the craft's callsign.  As part of the ceremony, defenders stood in a guard mount formation and as the fallen names were called to report.  When no voice sounded off, the fallen defender's end-of-watch report was read aloud. 

Police Week

The 96th Security Forces Squadron officially christens Barron 1 during the unit’s Police Week closing ceremony May 16 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The event was a naming ceremony for the unit’s three patrol boats, now named after fallen security forces Airmen. (U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Jr.)
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"This serves as a reminder that no matter who gets on that boat, they carry the legacy of the person the boat’s named after,” Lt. Col. Andrew McFee, 96th SFS.  “These Airmen will be remembered as long as these boats are on the water and as long as there are defenders fielding them."