Fort Collins native leads security forces operations for Southwest Asia 'outpost'

Photo By Master Sgt. Jenifer Calhoun | Capt. Matthew Nix, operations officer for the 380th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, talks over his radio during a security forces exercise at a non-disclosed base in Southwest Asia, Feb. 20. In his job, he leads, manages and directs security forces Airmen providing security and force protection for the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing?s people and billions of dollars worth of deployed assets, equipment and aircraft. His hometown is Fort Collins, Colo.  

(UNDISCLOSED LOCATION)

03.16.2010

Story by Senior Airman Jenifer Calhoun 

380th Air Expeditionary Wing

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- His hometown of Fort Collins, Colo., was founded as a military outpost in 1864. Most likely, the commander in charge of the Fort Collins security took into account every threat, the landscape, the soldiers assigned to defend the post and a myriad of other protection and security concerns. Much like the first commander of Fort Collins, many of those same concerns run through the mind of security forces officer Capt. Matthew Nix for his deployed "outpost" in Southwest Asia.

Nix is the operations officer for the 380th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron at a non-disclosed base in Southwest Asia. In his job, he leads, manages and directs security forces Airmen providing security and force protection for the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing's people and billions of dollars worth of deployed assets, equipment and aircraft.

"I lead more than 200 security forces personnel on a daily basis providing security for our nation's high value assets used in support of operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa," said Nix, an 11-year veteran of the Air Force.

As a security forces officer, Nix provides a key leadership role in preparing and directing deployed security forces Airmen every day. According to his official Air Force job description, he directs, along with his senior NCOs and NCOs, air base defense functions including control and security of terrain inside and immediately adjacent to military installations, and defense of personnel, equipment and resources. He also leads and directs individual and team patrol movements, tactical drills, battle procedures, convoys, military operations other than war, antiterrorism duties and other special duties.

"It is critical to have each and every career field as part of the fight and security forces is no different," Nix said. "The mission cannot be accomplished if one link in the chain is missing."

To effectively carry out his mission, Nix has to maintain extensive knowledge in all facets of security forces operations. These include Air Force security forces programs and management functions to include installation security measures, air base defense, vulnerability assessment and mitigation and police services including law enforcement, traffic management, confrontation management, investigations, and military working dog utilization, the job description shows.

He also has to know about programming and budgeting procedures, information security concepts, operational capabilities, limitations and vulnerabilities, combat arms training and maintenance and employment and operator maintenance of assigned weapons.

"I excel at my job only because of the hard work of my troops," Nix said. "They deserve the bulk of the credit."

When he left Fort Collins to join the Air Force, Nix knew what he was doing was part of a calling and is proud to be in a deployed location leading security forces "defenders" as they ensure deployed service members can complete their deployed mission every day, safe and sound. "I serve because I owe my country service." Nix said.

As Fort Collins was once named the "best place to live in America," so too, perhaps, the 380th AEW's area of operations is one of the "best protected" in the deployed region. No matter how it is viewed, Nix said he and his security forces team are ready.

"The freedom we enjoy every day as Americans demands protection," Nix said. "Somebody's got to do it and security forces are the right people to get it done."

The 380th ESFS is a sub-unit of the 380th AEW. The wing is home to the KC-10 Extender, U-2 Dragon Lady, E-3 Sentry and RQ-4 Global Hawk aircraft. The wing is comprised of four groups and 12 squadrons and the wing's deployed mission includes air refueling, surveillance, and reconnaissance in support of overseas contingency operations in Southwest Asia.

• Date Taken: 03.16.2010
• Date Posted: 03.16.2010 01:05
• Story ID: 46711
• Location: (UNDISCLOSED LOCATION)