Defenders on and off-base

  • Published
  • By Maj. Roxy Hambleton
HOMESTEAD AIR RESERVE BASE, Fla. --  Security Forces Airmen, known as “Defenders,” guard the base, its inhabitants, and its resources 24/7/365. They are invaluable in securing the work environment of the World’s Greatest Fighter Wing thus allowing the Airmen of the 482nd Fighter Wing to accomplish their mission.

But these Defenders do not only protect Airmen and resources here. Many of them are police officers when not serving at the 482nd Security Forces Squadron.

Working law enforcement as Traditional Reservists and in their civilian community is a duty they take seriously and are proud to perform.

Master Sgt. Gary Martin, a 482nd SFS Defender and lieutenant with the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, Florida, sees his duty on and off the base as an honor he and his fellow Defenders take pride in.

Martin never considered another career field other than law enforcement. At 18 he knew what he wanted and his first choice out of Air Force Basic Military Training was the security forces career field. With a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a master’s degree in critical incident management, he is representative of the Defenders that guard the base and our community.

“There is definitely a nexus between security forces and civilian law enforcement,” says Martin. “We both start our day asking, ‘How can I keep people safe?’—we do that in both our careers.”

Tech. Sgt. Alexis Medina, a HARB Defender since 2012, took his training and experience in the security forces career field to begin a career with the Hialeah, Florida, Police Department three years ago. After 12 years on active duty, he found himself at a police academy learning a similar law enforcement process.

“Law enforcement in the civilian community differs in that there are more elements of the law,” said Median. “With the military, we follow the Uniform Code of Military Justice. That makes things easier.”

Medina enjoys his work in the Hialeah community since he is new and still learning.

“But I identify with security forces since I did it for so long,” said Medina. “It’s what I always wanted.”

Another Defender who always knew he would be in Law Enforcement is Tech. Sgt. Brandon Benscombe. He is a third generation police officer who joined the career field and the Air Force Reserve after Basic Training and is a patrol officer for the City of Miami.

He, too, sees many similarities between his civilian and military employments.
“The biggest thing is that we have no ‘security’ role as police officers in the City of Miami,” said Benscombe. “Yet at Homestead, we are responsible for the security of the base, the personnel, and the flightline.”


Benscombe, who has been at HARB for eight years, sees another difference he enjoys.

“The military gives you an opportunity to mentor and supervise troops,” he said. “You are responsible for their progression and career. We don’t always get to do that in the civilian sector.”

Master Sgt. John Frank started out as a maintainer, but admired the camaraderie in the Security Forces Squadron and chose to cross train into it 23 years ago. Frank is an Active Guard Reservist at here and a reserve police officer for the City of Homestead.

“I’m doing things backward,” said Frank, comparing himself to other SFS Airmen.

He has seen the career field, the squadron, and the base change over the years, but the mission remains the same says Frank, “We are here to protect and defend.”

Col. David Garfield, the 482nd Fighter wing commander, agrees that the 482nd FW Defenders are important to the mission.
“They are elite Airmen; every time I see them at the gate, patrolling the base or protecting the flight line, I know that the 482nd and all the tenant units are safe to focus on the mission,” said Garfield.

He emphasized the responsibilities of these Reservists are not only to protect a stand-alone base, but to provide community liaison details and national details such as protection for Air Force One when it lands on the Homestead runway.

“And to top it off, they volunteer to protect and defend in a deployed environment on a regular rotation—these Defenders are top tier and the mission to fly, fight, and win could not happen without them,” said Garfield.

“Many of us are out there with this double life,” said Benscombe, “and we do what we do for the greater good of the Airmen and our communities—we would not have it any other way.”