ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- The 97th Air Mobility Wing command team received a firsthand look at how the 97th Security Forces Squadron protects personnel, resources and mission operations during a Boots on the Ground immersion tour at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, May 7, 2026.
U.S. Air Force Col. Richard Kind, 97th AMW commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Jonny Adams, 97th AMW command chief, met with 97th SFS Defenders across multiple sections to better understand the squadron’s role in installation security, law enforcement and force protection.
“Immersion tours like Boots on the Ground are critical because they show the command team the true spectrum of what our Defenders face every single day,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Chau Tran, 97th SFS commander.
The tour began at the installation visitor center, where the command team learned how Defenders verify credentials, control installation access and serve as one of the first points of contact for personnel and visitors entering the base.
The immersion continued with a series of hands-on demonstrations, including traffic enforcement capabilities through a speed detection demonstration, a high-risk traffic stop, breaching and room-clearing procedures, and a Multiple Interactive Learning Objectives, or MILO, simulation system demonstration. The MILO system uses interactive, augmented reality and prerecorded scenarios to help Defenders train for real-world decision-making, communication and response in a controlled environment.
“Our daily job can seem as simple as writing a visitor pass or conducting a routine traffic stop, but it can shift in an instant to a situation as serious and deadly as responding to an active shooter, where we must rely on our proficiency in close-quarters battle,” Tran said. “Seeing this firsthand helps leadership understand that every task we perform, routine or life-threatening, plays an important role in keeping Altus Air Force Base secure so the flying mission can get done.”
After the demonstrations, Kind and Adams joined 97th SFS personnel for a patrol ride-along, giving them a closer look at daily law enforcement operations, response procedures and the coordination required to maintain a safe and secure installation.
The tour concluded with a military working dog demonstration, where handlers showed how working dog teams support force protection through obedience, control and apprehension training using a bite suit.
“Security Forces is the foundation that allows every mission at Altus Air Force Base to happen,” Kind said. “Every sortie we launch, every Airman we train and every family member we support depends on a secure installation. What we saw today made it clear that our Defenders are not just responding to threats — they are actively enabling the wing’s ability to develop the next generation of mobility Airmen.”
The Boots on the Ground series gives wing leadership a closer look at the Airmen and units powering daily operations across Altus AFB. For the 97th SFS, the visit reinforced the critical role Defenders play in safeguarding the base and ensuring the wing can continue training mobility Airmen.