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Eglin Airman, among 'vigilant' Airmen keeping Southwest Asia base secure

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  • By Tech. Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol
  • 380th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  Being "vigilant" isn't just a word to Senior Airman Jacqueline Lawson; it is part of her deployed duties with the 380th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron.

Deployed to a non-disclosed base in Southwest Asia, Airman Lawson is a security forces journeyman charged, along with fellow security forces, with providing security and force protection for the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, its people and millions of dollars in deployed equipment and assets. To do that, she said this is where being "vigilant" comes in force.

"While keeping watch, we must stay vigilant at all times," said Airman Lawson, who is deployed from the 96th Security Forces Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.

A 2005 graduate of Bradford High School in Starke, Fla., Airman Lawson has been in the Air Force for more than three years. She said her deployed duties comprise a number of responsibilities that have to be completed every day.

"My primary duty and responsibility, as it is with fellow security forces, is to maintain positive control of the entry control points at all times and monitor all avenues of approach into the designated U.S. controlled areas and restricted areas," said Airman Lawson, whose hometown is Middleburg, Fla. "While on police and security patrols, we maintain a three- to five-minute armed response time to all incidents within our area of responsibility. While staying vigilant, we monitor all avenues of approached into our specified areas."

A typical day at work for Airman Lawson includes wearing the latest in "battle rattle." This can include the latest in protective armor and combat-ready gear. Additionally, she'll carry a loaded M-4 rifle, and possibly and M-9 pistol, in carrying out her deployed duties. In doing that work, she said all of her teammates take what they do very seriously.

"We work hard and we play hard," Airman Lawson said. "While at work, however, I maintain my professional bearing at all times. We'll knock out the assigned task at hand every day so everyone can go home safe and sound after our six-month tour is up."

The senior airman said she also loves serving in the Air Force and the military.

"It gives you a sense of self worth and keeps you extremely humbled," Airman Lawson said. "Americans should never forget how 'fantabulous' we have it, and how much the rest of the world envies us for it."

She also said she knows that deployments can be tough for all Airmen, and service members for that matter, who are thousands of miles away from home completing the deployed mission.

"The hardest thing about serving in the armed forces and being tasked to deploy is the time away from family and friends," Airman Lawson said. "But somehow everyone seems to pull together and we all become each other's family and friends, and we just press through until we get the chance to go home."

The 380th ESFS is a sub-unit of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing. The 380th AEW is comprised of four groups and 12 squadrons and the wing's deployed mission includes air refueling, surveillance and reconnaissance in support of overseas contingency operations in Southwest Asia. The wing supports Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom and the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa.