Guardians at the gate, SFS ambassadors provide more than just security

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Trevor Saylor
  • 934th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
MINNEAPOLIS-ST.PAUL AIR RESERVE STATION, Minn. --  They come to work every day inside a telephone booth-sized box, and are often exposed to rain, wind, heat, and the long, cold Minnesota winter. "Just don't tell us to stay warm," said Tech Sergeant Kory Soderquist. "Because believe me--when it's 20 below, we're already trying."

Soderquist is an assistant flight sergeant with the 934th Security Forces Squadron (SFS). Soderquist and his compatriots at SFS spend a lot of time manning the main gate for the base, which is manned 24 hours a day, every single day of the year.

For the rest of us on base, manning the gate may appear to be a tedious job. It is anything but that, according to the Airmen who actually work it. Working in three-hour rotations, the gate guards have a lot of responsibilities. They manage the flow of traffic, take reports of suspicious incidents, and provide security for the base, by ensuring only authorized people are allowed entry and by conducting inspections of vehicles.

On a more basic level, however, the SFS members at the gate think of themselves as the ambassadors of the Air Force. "You're always the mediator for other peoples' problems," said Staff Sergeant Rhett Mohwinkel, an installation patrolman with SFS. "We try to be a positive influence, and to help people start their day in a positive way. We are the first person they interact with on base, and we really help to set the tone for the day."

Those guarding the gate take their responsibility very seriously. There is constant training and preparation to be ready for anything that might occur; response times and actions are coordinated and reduced to the greatest extent possible. Providing a friendly face while still maintaining constant vigilance is their job, and they do it proudly. "When the weather is nice in the summer or fall, this job is great; I don't think I could handle sitting in an office all day," Soderquist said.

Next time you come through the front gate, take a moment to notice the job the gate guards are doing, and maybe take the opportunity to thank them if they do a good job. Just don't tell them to keep warm in the winter--they're surely doing all they can already.