NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. - The long arm of the law at the world's largest combat air base was clad in the desert sand and foliage green colors of the Army Combat Uniform for 10 days in August when the Nevada National Guard's 137th Law and Order Detachment supplanted the Air Force's security forces here during the unit's annual training.
About 20 Soldiers from the 137th, headquartered in Henderson, Nev., teamed with Airmen from Nellis' 99th Security Forces Squadron for joint-force police training and real-world, on-base missions from Aug. 11-25. After four days of initial joint training, the 137th became the real-life fuzz on Nellis, involved in a variety of police activities including enforcing traffic laws, responding to domestic incident calls and processing driving under the influence violations.
This was the first annual training ever performed by the 137th Law and Order unit. Established in November 2007, it is one of the Nevada Army Guard's newest units.
"It coincided with the training of a whole new group of security forces police at Nellis, so it turned out to be an excellent joint-force training experience for everyone involved," said 137th commander 1st Lt. Laura Boldry. "For our unit, it was a great opportunity to learn how other military forces operate and recognize the differences when we are on their turf. This annual training helped us build a working relationship with Nellis and we will now be able to help them when they require additional security forces."
Boldry said the base was a good training location because of its diverse population. More than 12,000 people either work or reside on Nellis Air Force Base.
"The base has a wide diversity of civilians including many foreign nationals, so it is a good opportunity for the unit to begin interacting with a wide spectrum of people now before we ever deploy," Boldry said.
The Soldiers in the 137th joined with the Nellis Airmen to learn about a variety of police topics, including: legal authorization and jurisdiction, low- and high-risk traffic stops, suspicious package procedures, larceny and shoplifting procedures, response to domestic disturbances, securing crime scenes, interview and interrogation, and baton use as a practical weapon.
The 137th promises to be a valuable asset to Nellis when it is in need of additional security and mission support in the future. It is likely the 137th will participate in various events with the 99th SFS including air races, the annual Red Flag exercises and crowd control at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
"The support we provide is beneficial to our own Soldiers as they receive the real-world experience that they need," Boldry said. "The hands-on training allows us to be better prepared for mobilization and improves our ability to work with other units and to provide successful, world-wide support wherever we may be needed."
The 137th unit began with just six Soldiers and in less than one year has grown to include 54 troops. More than 50 percent of the unit's Soldiers are qualified as military policemen. The primary mission of the unit is to execute law-and-order and police investigation operations. The unit is capable of responding to any foreign or domestic contingency or mission.
"The Soldiers from our unit did a remarkable job and we received outstanding instruction from the Air Force," Boldry said. "This annual training promises to lead to a long-term professional working relationship between the Nevada Army Guard and the Air Force."
Nellis is the world's largest air combat base, meaning no base where live munitions are dropped covers more acreage. The base, located about eight miles northeast of downtown Las Vegas, combines with the Nevada Test and Training Range to cover more than 4,800 square miles. An additional 10,000 square miles of airspace north and east of the restricted range are also available for military flight operations.