Designated by the code name “OPERATION SAFESIDE”, the 1041st USAF Security Police Squadron (Test) was formed at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii from a cadre of USAF graduates of the Army Ranger school. From that original unit, the Air Force eventually stood up the 82nd Combat Security Police Wing and subordinate units the 821st, 822nd and 823rd Combat Security Police Squadrons. This is an example of the equipment worn by those Security Policemen while deployed to Viet Nam.
He is a short two-part, USAF film on this unit.
Part I
Part II
Today, the lineage of these units lives on in the 820th Base Defense Group and its subordinate squadrons.
Tags: Safeside
Proud member here. 822 2003-2006. Safeside.
Looks like the ghostwalkers are operating under the radar again.
Thanks for sharing this!
Interesting headwear
The camo ascots should still be worn! Quite the fashion statement.
Re-activated the 823d in 2000 and those three years were the best of my career. Got to meet a handful of the original Safeside guys and marvel that some of the same BS they dealt with was still an issue.
Air Base Defense in Vietnam by Roger Fox is the SP bible for that history. Used to be rare as hen’s teeth but you can find an online copy now on their veteran page. If you’re an SP (first, forget that Security Forces trash they dumped on us in the 90’s) and haven’t read it, you need to. Those boys have some lessons learned that are still viable today. It’s why I had to go the old ABGD up in Ft Dix when I came in and why the new folks spend time at Bullis.
I remember ABGD at Dix too. Hot, sandy, muggy, shitty…but I learned a lot. I don’t know how Dix compares to what they do at Bullis these days, but I hope it has improved and not regressed.
I don’t think they have the cattle cars at Bullis. That was an experience I’ll never forget. Ha!
Our instructors at Dix were mostly Army, all infantry, and ours were slightly angry their nice, easy tour beating us Air Force guys into the sand for a month at a time was coming to an end. They moved it to Bullis 5-6 classes after I left. As I understand it the staff is all Air Force at Bullis, which could be fine if it weren’t for the black hole that people get into when they get “T” coded and never leave the teaching jobs. “What do you mean by ‘you’ve never been overseas’, Sgt Chucklehead? How can you teach me to do what exactly? Oh, you’ve got a lesson plan. We’re all saved now.”
The career field has tons of experience now but will lose it again. I’m out now but still work on base, not in the local squadron, but can see it happening. They spend their time on trivial things that don’t matter, well, even more so than during my time. But by gawd, they sure are resilient!