This week at the base, TSgt. MCCULLEY and I went over last weeks blotter entries for the weekly staff briefing . For the briefing, the only thing that is needed to be given to the commander is anything that would have a report number or if it is in red or blue text indicating that there was an incident that had occurred around the time. Anything that is not in those parameters is not included in the staff briefing. Also since there are times when I get there, MCCULLEY is on the installation and has to come out of the installation, I was issued a d-bids card. This card will allow me to get cleared through the gate and onto the installation. To get a d-bids card you must give them your license and you are ran through LEIN, which pulls up your record so they can see if you have been charged with any crimes or violations. If you do have something on your record, they will deny you entry because it is possible that you will cause harm while you are on the installation. If you pass that part, they take both fingerprints from both of your index fingers. After that you have to take a picture and wait for the card to finish being processed and printed. After that you get your newly issued d-bids card and license back. The d-bids card only works for a certain amount of time and after that time is over, it will no longer continue to work.
This week at the base, TSgt. MCCULLEY and the others of the 127th wing had a team building exercise. After telling me about that TSgt. MCCULLEY and I went down to supply again to see MSgt. FRENCH and MSgt. STOCKETT about an email list of all people on and off the base. The list was needed so that way we could inform people about information specific to the base and of any updates that they may have missed. Also, MCCULLEY had STOCKETT help him send in a request for leave during the summer for personal time. Later on, when I went back for another the JAG office had the Macomb County prosecutor Eric Smith come down to the base. The reason for his visit was to teach them and inform them on the specific laws of carrying a CPL since they are going to allow personnel on installation carry. It is like the class that you need to take to get a CPL but with the prosecutor. This took up the majority of the day and it was very fun and interesting. After all that, we had to go back to his office and submit a few reports and file a few documents.
At the base TSgt. MCCULLEY and I spent about forty minutes in his office working on filing all the reports and tickets issued over the course of 2016. Most of the tickets were issued to people who were either speeding or ran through a stop sign, nothing major like a DUI. After we got through most of the papers, we went down to B-Doc to go retrieve a report that he had to go over and revise. Before we left, TSgt. MCCCULLEY spoke with airmen TRUMAN about the specifics of the LE conference they were going to and what exactly it was going to be about. After, we headed down to supply so that TSgt. MCCULLEY could go see MSgt. FRENCH and MSgt. STOCKETT. TSgt. MCCULLEY had to go over some issues with the computers systems about to be out dated and the sixty two thousand dollars that they were going to use to update it would most likely not be happening because it is not viable. After going over all the specifics, TSgt. MCCULLEY spoke with MSgt. STOCKETT about his LE conference and another trip they were going to take which he was paying for. They went over what they planned to do and what was to be expected. After that we returned to the office to finish the rest of the filing.During the week, TSgt. MCCULLEY and I went to the legal building on the installation to set up a meeting with those who work there. The meeting was to inform them that someone would be coming down to the base that would fill them in on what they need to know about concealed carry on the installation. Afterwards, we went down to Supply to meet with MSgt. French about the concern of the light pole that had to be replaced and other issues. We then returned to the office and began to organize all reports and logs into their respective files. We are supposed to keep reports for up to four years in case someone wants to go back and look at a certain report or if a report is connected to a current one. Next, we dropped off books containing information about rules and regulations that would be better off at B-doc. For the rest of the week TSgt. MCCULLEY and I went on patrol and reorganized his office by removing items that were no longer supposed to be in there and recycling all papers and files that were no longer needed. Plus, I got to go to the financial building which is where most of the personnel working on the installation go for finances and where all the financing for everything on the base is located.
At the base this past week, TSgt MCCULLEY and I were finishing up two different reports. The first report we went over was of a person who while driving on the installaiton, hit a light pole. The cost of replacing the light pole is about 3,900.00 dollars, since the pole was completely removed from the ground. After we had finished that up, we had to go over another incident. Someone had claimed that while going over the tiger teeth, their cars tires had been ripped by them. The tiger teeth are a planted spike strip that is supposed to stop people from entering the installation through the wrong way so the spikes are pointed toward the direction you are supposed to be leaving. There was no damage to the car that we could see except for the obvious damage to the tires. For the reports to be submitted, we had to go over and correct any mistakes that the individual who took the report may have made and we are supposed to make sure that all the information to the name of the people and their statement are in there correctly. After that we just have to enter the corrected reports into the data base. Each time I go out to the base, I get to see or learn something new about law enforcement and the many different stages of it.
This week, there wasn't a lot of time to go around the base, but I got to experience what their work load is like. At first, I started by helping Tsgt MCCULLEY by making two piles. They have to be very specific. One for shredding and the other is for trash. This may seem like it is not that hard but there is a catch. With the documents that they have very specific ones have to be shredded, no exceptions at all. These include reports, federal documents, blotters, and anything with someones name on it. Then, once we got started, We went through all the documents so that way we did not through out any documents that he had to save for inspection because there are some documents that he must have on file for a certain amount of time. Also, we had to make sure we did not accidentally throw away the DK reports because they are supposed to go to the contractors for their records. This took a whole two days but it was fun since I got to learn about the way they dispose of documents and what type of documents that are supposed to be kept. And when they shred the files, they call a shredding company to come out, but they have to watch him since the material he is shredding is classified or confidential. My final day I got to go on a short patrol with some of the security forces. We basically patrolled the area and did checks. It was very interesting to see how they went about there jobs as patrol men.
When I asked Tsgt MCCULLEY about how he manages his time, he said that there are certain things that he can take time to do and others, he cannot. Being late for work is something he thinks you should never do and most of the time, he is busy with getting reports. Anything that really does not have to do with reports does not get done right away but he tries to get to it as soon as possible. Sometimes he takes the work home with him to get it done and have more time on other work related issues. On Tuesday at the air base, I got to go to where they have the firing range and the armory for the firing range. The armory for the firing range is not bigger that the vault, but it has basically the same inventory. I got to go into the firing range with Tsgt MCCULLEY. In the inventory I got to see and hold multiple weapons. Some of the weapons that I saw in the armory were the M249 Saw, the M4, the M16, and the .50 cal machine gun. In there, I was shown how they go about returning the weapons and how they are loaded and unloaded. Also, when we went to the firing range, they explained to me that when you are shooting, you cannot pass a red line on the ground because the firing range is on an air base, so if they pass the red line, there is a possibility of the bullet ricocheting and hitting one of the aircraft as they are flying. The next day on Wednesday, I went to see how they post blotters which is like a report of what happened on that day. After seeing how that goes, I was taken to the back gate to see the tiger teeth that they were planning on replacing. Soon after that, I went to meet up with DRESSIG, Sgt FRENCH, Sgt MARCOTT, and SCHAVEZ. I went with them to our power puff game in since they had lent us the razors and the armored vehicle. Since I go there, I am able to help my parents by letting them know that I know what I want to do and that they do not have to worry about me.I began my internship on Tuesday, September 13th with TSGT McCulley. I first met him and Dressig. They are part of the bases security force. TSGT McCulley showed me the Lien database which shows all the records of a person and it tells whether or not they are a suspected terrorist. I also got to go to B-Dock, which is where the base commander is located. During my first week, I was took on a tour of the base so that way I got to know the area. But during my first week the highlight was when I got to help them simulate someone getting on the base illegally, which was fun. I was told about how you have to get a special badge before you could get on to the base and how they have a person watching the front gate at all times. I was able to get into one of the cargo planes and see a a-10 warthog which was extremely impressive. They have a person there who is in charge of all operations and his name is SGT Fetty. I also got to see their security headquarters and the vault which is known as the armory. It was a very fun and interesting week.
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AuthorMy name is Riley Mazza and I am an intern at an air base. Archives
May 2017
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