ROYAL AIR FORCE MILDENHALL, England — The 100th Security Forces Squadron observed National Police Week by hosting a variety of events along with Royal Air Force Lakenheath and British law enforcement, May 13 to 21, 2022, at RAF Mildenhall, England.
Defenders at both bases and British counterparts, participated in a range of events covering fitness, morale, readiness training and more. They also led a 24-hour vigil which involved a continuous walk/ruck at Heritage Park in honor of the fallen.
Although the festivities involved multiple entertaining activities, the original intent of the holiday is to remember the sacrifices made by law enforcement officers who have lost their lives. Senior leadership from the installation was in attendance throughout the week to support the events.
“Our Defenders are one of the first lines of defense against the enemy,” said Maj. Ashley-Ann Hajovsky, 100th SFS commander. “When we get an opportunity like this to take time and celebrate them for all the hard work they do, we take it! When we get a moment to remember and honor those in the law enforcement community who paid the ultimate sacrifice to give us a better tomorrow, we do it.”
The week’s itinerary included an event referred to as the Car Carnival, which involved the local Suffolk Constabulary featuring examples of different British police vehicle styles to showcase how much they’ve changed throughout the years.
“Having a strong rapport between U.S. and U.K. police helps our Defenders establish a better working environment within our jurisdictions, as well as improve safety within the community,” said Senior Airman Allan Clairmont, 100th SFS Defender.
Defenders collectively make up the largest career field in the U.S. Air Force. Within that specialty code, there are many jobs with different responsibilities. Some of these include military working dog handler, combat arms training and maintenance, Raven and the Deployed Aircraft Ground Response Element.
“Although there are many career paths within Security Forces, all Defenders are responsible to protect, defend, and fight to ensure the installations overall mission success,” said Clairmont. “Police Week showed the base population and community a glimpse into how we accomplish that daily.”
National Police Week originated in 1962 when the 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy, signed a proclamation designating May 15 as “Peace Officers Memorial Day”. The observance was created to honor local, state and federal officers who have lost their lives or become disabled in the line of duty.
Published
By Capt. Tyler Whiting
100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
