JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. –
Joint basing is not an exact science -- each unit overcomes challenges in unique ways. To give personnel a better understanding of the joint base concept, the 633rd and 733rd Security Forces Squadrons at Joint Base Langley-Eustis exchanged Soldiers and Airmen for one week each month, allowing them to shadow Service members from the opposite branch.
"The exchange program was initially developed as an informal method to give both Airmen and Soldiers exposure to the Army and Air Force cultures, respectively," said U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Michael King, 733rd SFS provost sergeant major. "It has evolved to show our young Soldiers and Airmen a broader range of Law Enforcement skills used by both the Army and Air Force."
U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Sandra Chisholm, 633rd SFS response force leader, shadowed Derrick Lee, 733rd SFS Traffic Accident Investigations police officer, spending time going through the various sections of the unit.
"This program is a really great opportunity for the units to provide more cohesion between the different branches of the military and our civilian personnel," said Chisholm. "When we learn from each other and how we may do things differently, it allows us to operate together more smoothly and quickly in times of crisis."
Service members who switched places were immersed in the various sections of the corresponding unit, such as guard mount, road patrol, traffic investigations, military working dogs and force protection.
This program reinforces the concept of 'One Team, One Fight,' and allows the units to send Security Forces Airmen and Military Police Soldiers into the field who are well-rounded and capable of working in an increasingly joint environment, said Lee.
"Everyone comes from a different background so each unit runs their programs a little differently," said Lee. "By spreading the information around and sharing each Soldier or Airman's knowledge, we can broaden our law enforcement mission and keep the community safe."
The program has run for six months, and both units hope to grow it into longer and more frequent exchanges, giving Soldiers and Airmen more time to experience each others' realities.