JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. –
This year, May 11 through 15 has been designated National Police Week, and Joint Base Langley-Eustis paid homage to law enforcement personnel who gave the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty through numerous events and activities at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia.
In 1962, President John F. Kennedy proclaimed May 15 as Peace Officers' Memorial Day and the week in which the date falls as Police Week to recognize law enforcement officers who lost their lives in the line of duty for the safety and protection of others.
To kick off the week, the 633rd Security Forces Squadron held a Peace Officers' Memorial Ceremony during which patrons learned of courageous acts that took the lives of law enforcement officers defending the nation.
"During Police Week, we want to memorialize those who have fallen as well as celebrate the future," said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Thomas Miner, 633rd Security Forces Squadron commander.
"Military and civilian law enforcement alike help us recognize those sacrifices as well as give us the chance to build bridges with each other."
Since last year's National Police Week proclamation in Washington, D.C., 131 U.S. law enforcement officers died performing their duty to protect and serve the nation's citizens.
To further honor the fallen and give more people the opportunity to pay their respects, the 633rd SFS held a Defender's Challenge.
"Dating back to the Vietnam era, the Defender's Challenge was used as a training method, but now it is used as a test of team building for all those who participate," said Staff Sgt. Tesfaya Campbell, 633rd SFS unit deployment manager.
During the Defender's Challenge, three teams from the 633rd SFS participated in six physically demanding stations, to include a tire flip, litter carry and Humvee push.
Campbell said the goal of the Defender's Challenge was to encourage participants to never give up and persevere through tough challenges, which is an essential tool on a police force.
Police Week also included a K-9 challenge where the four-legged defenders, showed off their skills in a training exercise.
While the week concluded with a luncheon, weapons display and golf tournament, the team camaraderie and memory of the fallen built through the events are everlasting.