Reserve security forces squadron welcomes new first sergeant

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Christine Edwards
  • 920th Rescue Wing
PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  In January, Master Sgt. James Smith will become the 920th Security Forces Squadron first sergeant. He will replace Master Sgt. Christine Edwards, who will return to the 920th Maintenance Squadron, where she served as an electronic warfare systems technician from 2004-2011.

Sergeant Smith brings with him a breadth of experience, including careers in both military and civilian law enforcement as well as having served in two branches of the military.

As a civilian, Sergeant Smith serves as a police officer at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. He received his active duty law enforcement experience in the Air Force as a security forces apprentice, and later as an Individual Mobilization Augmentee, with the 45th Security Forces Squadron here.

But his job knowledge isn't confined to police work. Sergeant Smith also flew as an aerial gunner with the 301st Rescue Squadron for 4 of his 17 years of military service.

During his time as a law enforcement officer and former squad leader, Sergeant Smith especially enjoyed one particular aspect of the job: being able to help people. It's the reason he applied for a position as a first sergeant.

His primary goal as first sergeant is to ensure service members are physically and mentally prepared to do their jobs. But he also wants to assist Airmen in reaching their career goals by helping them take advantage of their education benefits and earning Community College of the Air Force degrees.

The 920th Security Forces Squadron stood up from being a detachment in 2011. Even with 80 members, the squadron still boasts a family vibe and tight-knit crew. Some members have served with the 920th long enough to remember when security forces was tucked away in a freestanding office on steel stilts inside Hangar 313, affectionately referred to as the "tree house."

The coming year promises to be busy for the wing's defenders. But in First Sergeant Smith, the cop squadron has someone who not only has a wealth of training and experience to share in a military sense, but who is also equally as concerned with helping the people behind the badge in any way he can.