Have you said thank you? Published May 17, 2013 By Senior Airman Christopher Reel 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- From freezing temperatures and cold rains in the winter to hot humid temperatures and sporadic thunderstorms by summer, the elements are ever changing at Tyndall. Tyndall's gate guards and augmentees, who man the three installation gates that are used for daily traffic, are too familiar with these elements. "An installation gate sentry is one of the most important jobs on all of Tyndall," said Master Sgt. Bryan Smith, 325th Security Forces Squadron operations superintendent. "Not only are our defenders ensuring only authorized personnel are allowed on base, they are also on constant vigilance for suspicious activity that could be either illegal or hostile in nature. They are trained to look for certain indicators to help them identify those who may be up to some nefarious activity. "Defenders on the gates are the primary line of defense who prevent an individual who could be impaired from alcohol or narcotics from gaining entry and driving on Tyndall's streets, placing lives in jeopardy or prevent an individual with hostile intent from gaining access with a car bomb," Sergeant Smith added. "On a normal basis, only security forces personnel man the installation gates, however, there are times when the wing's augmentation force is activated to assist us as necessary," said Master Sgt. Smith. "Normally, the augmentees are used when our defenders are doing what they do best and are deployed and the squadron as a whole is short manned." The augmentees are non-security forces personnel who are trained through the security forces training section to provide support with Tyndall's security. Shift hours vary due to the gates being operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week, explained Master Sgt. Smith. The units work six days straight for eight shifts, but those eight hours do not include the additional one to two hours taken to prepare for their shift and then to de-arm. When they are not working the gate, checking IDs and securing the base entrances, they could be posted in a police unit or flight line security patrol. A police unit conducts traffic enforcement and responds to situations ranging from alarm activations to a domestic incident in base housing. Flight line patrols are dedicated security for the heart of the 325th Fighter Wing mission-- aircraft and personnel on the flight line, the master sergeant explained. "As a career aircraft maintainer, I was humbled by the daily grind that our defenders go through to keep our Airmen and our assets safe," said Chief Master Sgt. Rayond DeVite Jr., 325th FW command chief. "These unsung heroes are on watch 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. Remember that the next time you're at the beach or at dinner with your family, one of our defenders is on post keeping it secure. "Just about a week ago, I was fortunate to spend the day with our Defenders and it was certainly an eye opening experience for me," Chief DeVite added. "Be sure to thank them every time you come through one of our gates."