JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas –
Security forces members throughout Joint Base San Antonio are collaborating on the first-ever JBSA-wide National Police Week observance.
Activities planned for next week's observance are a memorial run Monday at JBSA-Lackland, a four-person combat obstacle course Wednesday at JBSA-Randolph, a four-person scramble Thursday at the Randolph Oaks Golf Course, a luncheon May 17 at Lackland and a softball tournament May 18, also at Lackland. All members of the JBSA community are invited.
"We want the JBSA community to know what National Police Week is all about," Master Sgt. Kerry Thompson, 902nd Security Forces Squadron NCO in charge of installation security and National Police Week committee co-chairman, said. "The purpose is to honor all law enforcement officers who have fallen in the line of duty.
"We have defenders out there putting their lives on the line and making the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom," he added. "We have lost nine security forces members in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom."
Thompson said the observance quickly expanded from a Randolph event to one that included all of JBSA. The committee held its first meeting April 17.
"Once word got out to security forces at JBSA, everybody wanted to pull together," he said. "It was impressive that we were all able to meet and get everything done."
Units hosting the event are the 502nd SFS at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston, the 802nd SFS at Lackland, the 902nd SFS at Randolph, the 341st and 343rd Training Squadrons at Lackland, the Air Force Security Forces Center at Lackland and Air Education and Training Command A7S.
Thompson also noted the contributions of the Randolph Chiefs Group, the Air Force Sergeants Association Alamo Chapter, the Randolph Top 3 and the Randolph Rising 5/6.
"We would not have been able to put this together without their generous sponsorship," he said.
Thompson said the highlight of the week will be the National Police Week luncheon at noon May 17 at the Lackland Gateway Club, which will feature retired Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Robert Gaylor, the only security forces member to serve in the Air Force's highest enlisted position.
The combat obstacle course at the Randolph Rambler Fitness Center, which will require a $10 entry fee, will feature a $400 grand prize and include a 50-meter swim, a tire flip, barrier jumps, a mud pit low crawl and a cracker challenge in which contestants will have to eat a sleeve of crackers at the finish line, Thompson said. Prizes at the four-person golf scramble will be given for first place, longest drive and closest to the pin; entry fee is $35.
National Police Week dates back to 1962, when President John F. Kennedy proclaimed May 15 at National Peace Officers Memorial Day. That same year, Congress established by joint resolution the week in which May 15 falls as National Police Week.
"We have more than 1,400 defenders assigned to various organizations around JBSA, and that doesn't include an additional 1,400 or so security forces technical school students, so this will be a worthwhile event," Thompson said.