Greetings Eagle Chapter Members and Friends |
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I am so excited to report that this year, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial (NLEOM) in Washington DC added the largest number (three) of Security Forces heroes in our history during any one year. I want to thank the members of our committee, Eagle Chapter Board, commanders and project managers for helping to make this event possible.
The image at left is my notification of the two additional SF Airmen to be added - Staff Sergeant Griffin and Airman Jacobson. They notified us last year about adding Airman Leebernard Chavis. These three are among the three that then Major General Hertog, her deputy Dave Beecroft (and Colonel Ron Newsom before him), and I started and was initially disapproved back in 2008. As you can see, I never give up! Please see the article below. Much thanks to the commanders and project managers for making this possible.
We need more members on our Eagle Chapter NLEOM Committee. If you are interested in working with us to contact the Security Forces squadron leadership, their project manager, or run interference and assist the squadrons, where needed, please reach out to me and I'll get the ball rolling.
Welcome back Chris! We are so delighted to have Chris Walker return to our board of officers. Chris had previously served as our Chapter Secretary. He now returns as the third member of our NLEOM Committee. Chris is our only active duty member. He is a Technical Sergeant and is awaiting to join his family in their new assignment (new for him) at the 55th Security Forces Squadron. Join me in welcoming Chris back by clicking here.
12 Outstanding Airman of the Year - 3 SF Airmen Update - Two of the three Air Force Security Forces Airmen who were recognized among the 12 have accepted our offers of a three-year membership. Thanks to Tech Sergeant Justin Bennet and Senior Airman Jamonica Smith - my home girl - for your support. Your membership means a lot to us. I thank the Oklahoma Heartland Chapter and the Pete Magwood (Albuquerque NM) Chapter who helped us make this three-year membership possible.
Thank-you to our doners - Our programs could not exist without your kind and generous support in providing us the financial support that allows us to operate. Membership in Eagle Chapter is free to all AF Security Forces Association members who work or live in DC, DE, MD, VA, and WV - plus a few other locations as requested.
Very respectfully,
"Lee"
Elia C. (Lee) Chambers, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Eagle Chapter Air Force Security Forces Association
P. O. Box 10501
Burke, Virginia 22009-0501
Email: chairman@afspaeagle.com | C: 571-302-0992
We published our previous newsletter on January 2, 2022.
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National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial adds two Security Forces Airmen to the Memorial in Washington DC |
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In a delayed announcement, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial pub-lished notifications earlier this month that Staff Sergeant Travis L. Griffin and Airman Elizabeth N. Jacobson will be formally added to the memorial later this year. |
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28 year-old, Staff Sergeant Griffin (in the photo above at left) became the seventh Security Forces Airmen to be killed in action in Iraq on April 3, 2008. Sergeant Griffin hailed from the 377th Security Forces Group Kirtland Air Force Base NM where he had been deployed to Iraq. Please click here to see his current status on the memorial in Washington DC which as of this time does not yet show where his name will be inscribed. We're still working with the unit to obtain a photo of Sergeant Griffin that meets the resolution requirements needed for publication on the NLEOM website.
21-year-old Airman First Class Elizabeth Jacobson (at right above) was the first Security Forces Airman and the first woman Airman to be killed in action in Iraq when she succumbed to her injuries while deployed to Iraq from the 17th Security Forces Squadron Goodfellow Air Force Base Texas. Airman Jacobson died while providing security in a convoy on September 28, 2005. Please click here to see her link at the NLEOM website. Once her location on the memorial has been identified, the link will show where to find her.
The names of Staff Sergeant Griffin and Airman Jacobson will be among the three Security Force members that we successfully added for 2021. Early last year, the NLEOM notified us that Airman Leebernard Chavis who died in Iraq October 14, 2006. All three Airmen will also be among the depicted at the National Law Enforcement Officers Musuem.
... And more good news - Brigadier General Roy Collins, the Air Force top cop, will participate in the reading of the names of our Airmen this year at the Candlelight Vigil at the Capitol in Washington DC on May 13, 2022. This is a great honor for our career field as General Collins becomes only the second Director of Security Forces after General Jamerson to participate in this event. I must add the challenge has been to get NLEOM to recognize that the Air Force OSI does not represent the police/security forces activity. So that's a step that I follow up on to make sure that invitation occurs. Thank-you sir again.
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My thanks to the industrious and very talented project managers that worked with the families and agencies to collect the artifacts needed to meet the requirements.
Thank-you Technical Sergeant Alison Spalione (at left top) (SSgt Griffin) of the 377th Security Forces Group - working for Colonel Christopher Neiman, Commander and Technical Sergeant Tanner Thomas (at left bottom) (Airman Jacobson) 17th Security Forces Squadron working for Lieutenant Colonel Richard Buckley, Commander for your patience in dealing with me and going the distance to achieve this success.
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More help is needed on our committee! We have ten more currently that we are working to have them added to the memorial. Our process works - 100% acceptance for all that we've submitted. Contact me if you can help. We still have plaques to design and deliver to units and money to award to the booster clubs for all units to help them continue the connections that they have established with the fallen families.
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54th Commemorative Wreath Laying Captain Reginald V. Maisey Jr Building Proceeds Under Covid-19 Restrictions |
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AFDW Joins the 11th Security Forces and Eagle Chapter to Commemorate the 54th Anniversary Observance of Captain Maisey's sacrifice at Bien Hoa Air Base |
Thanks to our special guest speakers Lieutenant Colonel David Bullock, Deputy Chief, Security Forces Division Headquarters Air Force District of Washington/A4S Joint Base Andrews Maryland (above right) and Major Nathan Aiken, Commander, 11 Security Forces Squadron Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling (above second from left) for making our annual wreath laying another special event.
Other attendees include our master of ceremonies, Karl Blinkinsop, Eagle Chapter's Vice Chairman of the Air Force District of Washington Wing (not in the photo), Chief Master Sergeant Joseph H. Baker, III (at left) Security Forces Manager 11th SFS, and SFS Airmen - Senior Airman Sequoya Debro (third from left), Senior Airman Angel Cook (fourth from left) and Eagle's Willie Squires also of the Vietnam Security Police Association, second from right. Of course, I was there which pushed the Covid-19 limits that we had to maintain. Again this year, we could not invite everyone or provide refreshments as we did before Covid-19.
We could not have gotten this done without the support of Mr. Donald Cook and Mr. Toney Talley, facility manager and facility security officer for the Maisey Building.
For the 55th anniversary next year, we will proceed with a normal plan of activities as we had before the Covid-19. In order to do that and not be restricted, we are planning to have the formal ceremony at the JBAB Club. We will again invite the Maisey family and plan a day of remembrances on this special day at Bolling, the Pentagon. We'll have a smaller ceremony with the family at the Maisey building. More to follow on that.
New sign - Don Cook pointed out that the Maisey Building now has a new sign out front in addition to the main sign on the rear of the building. To see the new sign and other photos of this event please go to our website by clicking here.
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Much thanks to Karl, Eagle Chapter Vice Chair AFDW Wing (in photo at right) for organizing and being the master of ceremony of the event.
At left, Karl presents an Eagle Chapter memento to one of our guests.
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Eagle Chapter Visits the 1st Field Investigative Squadron Commander and Staff |
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In the photo above left, Eagle Chapter Chairman, Lee Chambers, presents a briefing presentation to Lieutenant Colonel Jose Marin, Commander of the 1st FIS Headquarters at Joint Base Anacostia Bolling Washington DC. Colonel Marin commands a combined squadron of OSI agents and Security Forces Airmen that provides VIP protection to distinguished personnel throughout the Air Force and Space Force. In the center photo, PSO credentials wallet that each member of the squadron has. At right, two security forces members pause as they escort Lee and Karl (not in the photo) from the building.
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Our thanks to Lieutenant Colonel Jose E. Marin and his staff at the 1st Field Investigative Squadron |
As you may recall reading in the Oct-Dec 2021 issue of the Air Force Security Forces Magazine, the AF Security Forces and the Office of Special Investigation consolidated protective service operations worldwide under the 1st Field Investigation Squadron headquartered in Quantico VA. Earlier this year, we met with the unit commander, Lt Col Jose Marin and members of his staff to welcome them to Eagle Country. The unit has a great mix of security forces personnel. Each time the unit advertises to fill a special duty SF vacancy, they will get over 40 applications. Wow! I look forward to working with Col Marin and his staff.
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A4S Selects 20th Air Force Security Forces Career Field Manager |
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CONGRATULATIONS Chief Master Sergeant Donald S. Gallagher!!! The Chief has been selected to become the 20th Security Forces Career Field Manager, becoming the top enlisted advisor to the Air Force Director of Security Forces. He will be coming on board effective May 1.
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In this role, Chief Gallagher will advise on security forces policy, organizing, training, equipping, and maintaining mission readiness impacting over 38,000 total force Defenders.
Chief Gallagher is currently serving as the Security Forces Manager & Operations/ Communications Senior Enlisted Leader, Air Force Global Strike Command, Barksdale AFB, LA. Chief Gallagher has an impressively distinguished career that includes assignments to Haiti, Iraq and Afghanistan.
Chief - Welcome to Eagle Country! I will be calling on you! :-)
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Check Out Our New and Improved Website |
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First, I want to introduce you to Kate Lachman. Kate is a volunteer third year student at Virginia Tech. She works as an intern with BlinkinCo Corporation - a great defense contractor that Eagle Chapter Vice Chair Karl runs. Kate has volunteered to help me with our website and wow! She got more done in a few days than we were able to do in several months! Just take a look for yourself. It is still under construction.
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April's Monthly Board Meeting |
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Your Eagle Chapter Board of Officers meet every first Thursday via conference call. Contact Rachel, our Chapter Secretary if you want to attend. She will provide the meeting information and meeting minutes. Our board meetings are open to all members and significant others. But be aware - if you attend, the pesky old Chairman might ask you to help out. :-) The board meets at 2000/8:00 PM Eastern Thursday April 7.
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New Date for Eagle Chapter Vietnam War Memorial Wall Wash 2022 - May 7 (Requested) |
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May 7 (Requested) is our new date for washing the Vietnam War Veterans Memorial in Washington DC. The National Park Service gave us a series of dates to select. Our April date was not available. They're off to a later start than normal. |
As of this moment, May 7 is our new date to start the season for washing the Vietnam War Veterans Memorial at Washington DC. To our Boy Scout Troop - Thank-you for hanging in there. This will be our first wash since Covid-19 - we are so looking forward to hugs and seeing you all again.
Chief Jones is coming up from Charleston SC - what would a wash be without him.
March 29 - we again WELCOME HOME our Vietnam War Veterans in special remembrance of the National Vietnam War Vietnam Day which became an annual event in 2017 when President Trump signed the Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Ac of 2017.
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Vietnam War Veteran - A Legacy of Impact |
At the Military Women's Memorial event on Veterans Day last year, I met an extraordinary woman veteran, Ms. Kimberly Mitchell, Senior Vice President, Military Government Affairs National University System. Kimberly was the keynote speaker at the Veterans Day event at the Military Womens Memorial. While serving in the military, she formerly worked on the Joint Chief of Staff and at the White House during her 17 years in the Navy.
Kimberly started her speech talking about a little baby that was found in a ditch in Da Nang South Vietnam trying to suckle from her deceased mother during the war in Vietnam. Long story shortened - that baby was her. An Airman adopted Kimberly and brought her back to the US. The rest is history. She has an incredible career supporting Vietnam War veteran causes. See more of her by clicking here.
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A Final Farewell-Tech Sgt (Retired) Ezell "EZ" Gladney |
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"EZ" - A Fixture at the Annual AFSFA Meeting |
One of the sections of the AF Security Forces Magazine that I reluctantly read last is the Last Guardmount section which notifies of Security Forces Airmen who have passed away. In the current edition (Jan-Mar 2022), I was surprised to see that "EZ" had passed. If you've ever attended an annual AFSFA meeting, you've met EZ. No one was a stranger to EZ. He always had a table set up to sell Security Forces memorabilia to raise money for his beloved then Billie Renfroe Chapter of the Dallas Ft Worth TX area. The photos here are from one of our first meetings at the 19th AFSFA Annual Meeting at Tinker AFB OK. May he rest in peace. EZ had a smile and laugh that we will miss. Prayers for his family which includes our AP/SP/SF families. |
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In conclusion, due to area Covid-19 restrictions that are still in place at many locations, we are still forming up our calendar for the year. We look forward to returning - as close to normal as possible - with the luncheons and other events especially this year as we celebrate the 25th anniversary of our Air Force Security Forces. More to follow on that.
Thanks to Kathy Wojciechowski, Eagle Chapter's Vice Chair Tidewater Wing (at left) for collaborating with the 633d SFS at Langley in their Police Week planning activities. We will be hosting the bag pipe player and supporting in other areas, as needed during their Police Week celebrations.
Thanks to all of our members and supporters! See you soon! "Lee"
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P.O. Box 10501,
Burke, VA 22009-0501
(571) 302-0992
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