Gone in 72 hours: 710th SFS deploys at moment's notice

by Senior Airman Marcy Copeland
460th Space Wing Public Affairs

2/7/2014 - BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo.  -- The 710th Security Forces Squadron, a Team Buckley base partner, is a combat ready reserve force that deploys with a 72-hour notification in support of peacetime, contingency and wartime operations.

The mission of the 710th SFS, a U.S. Air Force Reserve unit, is simply this: train to deploy. Their job is to protect people, property and resources of the U.S. Air Force. Extensive training in law enforcement and combat tactics allows them to be stationed in deployed locations as needed worldwide.

"The biggest challenge with security forces is that we have so much to train on at any given time," said Tech. Sgt. Casey Karins, 710th SFS noncommissioned officer in charge of training. "We have a full gambit of law enforcement activities that we have to be trained in and proficient on. Then we also have a full gambit of expeditionary skills that we have to be trained in and proficient on.

The stuff we do here, checking ID cards or law enforcement activities on base, it is completely different then the stuff we potentially have to do in an overseas environment." he said.

The 710th SFS was activated to support the 310th Space Wing's transition to its current designator from a World War II bombardment group and a training and test wing. Beginning with only four Airmen at Schriever Air Force Base, Colo., and after several moves, a home was found for the squadron and gained the 460th Security Forces Squadron as neighbors.

As a unit stationed at Buckley Air Force Base, the interaction with the 710th SFS and the 460th Space Wing might appear to be non-existent, but there is a solid partnership. To keep up with the tempo of deployments and potential shortfalls, the 710th SFS can step in when 460th SFS deployments need to be filled.

"Previously, up until 2010 or 2011, our guys were back-filling a lot of positions in the 460th Security Forces Squadron so that those guys could continue to maintain a high ops tempo in support of the war." Karins said.

When a short notice deployment is tasked, an Airman must be ready to leave within 72 hours of notification. Due to this demanding requirement, the 710th SFS trains consistently no matter the temperature or weather conditions.

"We train for mission readiness in all types of weather conditions," said Maj. Wendy Allison, 710th SFS operations officer. "Since we do not know where we could be deployed at any given time, the training is repetitive and physically exhausting; often in our full battle rattle. This ensures that their tactics become second nature when they are downrange."

The 69 members of the 710th SFS leave their civilian lives to work weekends, training and staying current on all mobility requirements and maintaining that deployment-ready status year round.

"Do not underestimate Reservists," said Allison. "Many of us came from active duty, but most of us work in similar career fields in our civilian jobs; so we bring a unique perspective to the fight."