WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. -- The 509th Security Forces Squadron recently activated a Base Response Team, an initiative designed to strengthen installation defense, enhance training, and increase efficiency in safeguarding Whiteman Air Force Base's mission.
Comparable to a quick reaction force, the BRT is the first of its kind at Whiteman and across Eighth Air Force. The concept was developed by squadron leaders to reimagine how defenders respond to threats while streamlining manpower.
“We took what was a 105-person requirement and condensed it into a 40-member team that provides 24/7 coverage,” said Tech. Sgt. Austin Cook, 509th Security Forces BRT flight chief. “That change increased efficiency by 65 percent, saved the Department of the Air Force more than $740,000 annually, and gave our Airmen back over 700 hours of time every year.”
In addition to cost and time savings, the new configuration allows for more training. The goal is for BRT members to average nearly 1,000 hours of training annually, focusing on convoy operations, emergency response, and advanced tactics.
Through joint partnerships, BRT members have trained alongside mission partners at Whiteman AFB. They worked with the 1-135th Assault Helicopter Battalion of the Missouri National Guard to practice helicopter operations and combat search and rescue, and the 303rd and 358th Fighter Squadrons, active and reserve A-10 Lightning units, provided the aircraft to conduct immersive close air support exercises.
“To my knowledge, we’re the only Security Forces unit in the enterprise conducting immersive close air support training,” Cook said. “Opportunities like these are invaluable. They give our Airmen experience most defenders won’t see in an entire career.”
For Airman 1st Class Jacob Kaidor, 509th Security Forces Squadron BRT member, joining has been a chance to grow as a defender and as a leader.
“I wanted something different that would push me forward in my career,” he said. “The tryout was tough, but the opportunities I’ve had since, like helicopter training, and working with A-10 pilots, have been incredible. It’s night and day compared to what I was doing before.”
The team operates more like a family, working closely to prepare for any situation.
“When someone new joins, we bring them in and get them up to speed quickly,” Kaidor said. “That bond makes us stronger and helps us protect the mission.”
With the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber based exclusively at Whiteman, defenders understand the gravity of their mission.
“We have a critical asset here that cannot be found anywhere else in the world,” Cook said. “Our job is to ensure no adversary ever gets close to it. That’s why we train the way we do, so if the worst day comes, we’ll be ready.”
The BRT’s activation marks a step forward not only for Whiteman, but for the Air Force as a whole, demonstrating how innovation, teamwork, and commitment to training directly strengthens national defense.