SOUTHWEST ASIA — Beyond the coiled rows of concertina wire and concrete barriers lies endless miles of sand, gravel and uncertainty.
Dust lifted by the winds colors the distant horizon a dull sepia as the thermometer hovers in the low three digits by midmorning.
For a team of Airmen from Guam, the monotony of the landscape surrounding them lies in stark contrast with the lush green hills of the Pacific island they left behind.
These security forces members deployed here from the Guam Air National Guard's 254th Security Forces Squadron to secure access points to the installation and patrol perimeter fence lines and facilities of the 407th Air Expeditionary Group.
The daily mission focus for much of the team is the access control at the gates and vehicle search areas. After cars and trucks pass through the fortified security layers, the Airmen thoroughly check for explosive devices, contraband, drugs and weapons, while their wingmen provide additional eyes via towers, cameras and electronic sensors covering the area. Per shift, the guards process an average of more than 200 base workers and service members supporting missions in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.
"The gates are the first line of defense," said Staff Sgt. Ricky Meno, a security forces team lead with the 407th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron. "We ensure they are 100 percent verified, cleared and good to go, so everything is safe. It takes great attention to detail and resiliency because the base depends on us."
Keeping watch
Whether in the morning or at night, the teams' duty shifts start with guard mount, where the Airmen receive their weapons, ammunition and updates on new developments, tasks and any incidents that happened before their shift.
"We come in every day, arm up and get our information, then we head out in a small team of two or three," said Staff Sgt. Melquiadez Racho, a night patrol lead. "In the dark, there is seemingly nothing out there. But anything can happen at any time. While everyone is sound asleep, my crew and I are out there at the perimeter watching, making sure everything is quiet and safe for everybody."
The defenders work with the Marines, Navy corpsmen as well as with Polish and Italian airmen in helping the coalition forces achieve their joint objectives in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.
"The strategic location of the installation they protect supports personnel who are ready to bring the fight to ISIS and the air platforms that build and execute strike packages against our enemies," said Capt. Jeffrey Robertson, the operations officer with the 407th ESFS. "The squadron and group operations here are nothing short of historic and the Guam Defenders continue to ruthlessly execute the squadron's mission in support of the [air tasking order]."
At home, the Guard members defend Andersen Air Force Base, which houses the longstanding continuous bomber presence of B-1B Lancers. Much of their time, however, is spent on training and preparing for their deployed missions as drill weekends and recurring exercises keep their skills fresh.
Island pride
Despite Guam's small population of about 200,000 residents, the island tops the list of per capita enlistments, and nearly one in eight of its adults serve or have served in the armed forces. Throughout the year, Airmen from Guam can be found in deployed locations from bustling hubs of airpower to remote outposts.
"A lot of people are surprised we have such a large military presence, although we are a place that is so small," Meno said. "But when people ask about the island we love to tell them more. The way we are on Guam, we love meeting new people, inviting them in and sharing our culture with people."
Guam is known for this "Hafa Adai" spirit - akin to Hawaii's "Aloha." It's the traditional Chamorro greeting and represents a welcoming attitude and island lifestyle. No matter where they serve on foreign shores, the units show this philosophy and share their culture with all they come in contact with.
"Attitude and motivation - paired with a smile - is how I will remember my time spent with the island defenders," Robertson said. "I have had the pleasure of being present during the promotion of some of their members, being invited to their island cookouts, and working side by side with them. It is their genuineness that gets me every time. A hand shake, a fist bump, or a simple pleasantry to everyone they encounter is refreshing in a combat environment - they simply have a knack for spreading pride."
It is that pride all team members display by wearing a small, subtly subdued sage-green patch of the island's flag, with the Guam seal at its center, on their gear - identifying themselves a part of a brotherhood with deep roots.
"We bring our pride out because a lot of people don't know where Guam is," Racho said. "It's a small island right in the middle of the Pacific. People look at it on a map and there is nothing there but a speck. But that is home."
A family business
Life as a Guam Guard member is rewarding, Racho said, and allows the Airmen to serve in their home community, where they can stay rooted in both service and their island home. But it also takes them around the world in support of exercises with partner nations and deployments in remote locations for months at a time - something that is tough on the Airmen who place priority on family life. On Guam, however, service to the country is family business; nearly everyone on the team has relatives in one of the uniformed services or veterans with a history of past service.
"I grew up with a military background and my dad was in the military for 20 years," said Tech. Sgt. Casey Morrison, a patrol team lead with the 407th ESFS. "What we do is important and we protect personnel and resources we have to ensure experts in other fields can do what they have to do safely. But in the end I'm doing it for my children. It takes a lot of sacrifice and is a bit of a challenge at times. Luckily, being from Guam I have a lot of family support."
While Airmen from other bases often deploy individually in support of expeditionary missions, deploying together allows the Guam Airmen a special bond that is more like family than co-workers. This team spirit is especially supportive to new Airmen like Airman 1st Class Randall Diego, who is serving on his first deployment right after technical training.
"We are far away, but do stuff that kind of reminds you of home," Diego said. "It's such a tight-knit community and everybody treats you like family. It doesn't feel like a deployment when you're with the right people. What is hard is being away from family, but when you have family in the deployed environment it makes everything so much easier."
In July, island residents will commemorate the sacrifices of World War II service members in the defense of Guam during the annual Liberation Day parade. While the Guam defenders here will miss this year's parade, they know their families keep them in their thoughts and have a place at the table ready for their return.
"We want to represent, so when we come home our families can have that pride of saying one of ours represented us and did well," Racho said. "Our families are our inspiration. We can't fail them. It's the last statement in our creed. We will never fail."