SFS: One night on patrol Published March 13, 2008 By Senior Airman Nestor Cruz 18th Wing Public Affairs KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- While most people are making their way home at 4:30 p.m., others like Tech. Sgt. Mark Smith, 18th Security Forces Squadron, are just starting their shift that will take him well into the night to protect Team Kadena while they sleep. Prior to starting shift, Sergeant Smith picks up his weapon at the armory then meets with the flight chief and desk sergeant to get any important "pass-ons" or information to be passed to the next person on duty. Today, the Centerville, Ind. native gets a couple reminders to stay sharp as the 18th Wing undergoes a Pacific Air Forces Operational Readiness Inspection. By 4:30 p.m., Sergeant Smith meets with the day-shift person he is relieving and performs a joint inspection of the patrol vehicle. The white Toyota sedan is clean, the flashing lights on top of the vehicle are functioning well and the interior has the faint smell of an air freshener. The day patrolman gives Sergeant Smith a recap of events during his day. About an hour later, Sergeant Smith gets a call over the police radio to respond to a minor vehicle accident. He arrives on scene, assesses the situation and determines there were no injuries. Sergeant Smith interviews the driver and gets his statement. He fills out a vehicle accident form while he waits for the alert photographer to arrive. It's nearly 7 p.m. and Sergeant Smith returns to the squadron and drops off his completed paperwork for the incident. He chats with another patrolman for a few minutes while his "alpha", or partner, finishes a smoke break. Sergeant Smith and his alpha return to the streets, watching for any suspicious activity. He pulls over from time to time and refers to a checklist that serves as a reminder of what areas to visit throughout base. The checklist includes tasks to be accomplished during a patrolman's shift, such as perimeter checks. Patrols also periodically check on members posted at Kadena's gates. Although Sergeant Smith's has one primary gate of responsibility, he said he does his best to visit all the gates to do morale checks. "Sometimes the flight chief or area supervisor will come out to the gates, ask for a post briefing and make sure everybody's job knowledge is squared away," said Sergeant Smith. "Small scenarios are also conducted, such as someone trying to run through the gate or challenging someone in a suspicious vehicle." By 10 p.m., nearly halfway through his shift, Sergeant Smith has already checked off most of the items on his "to do" checklist. He pulls over into a parking lot to monitor traffic for a while. He takes advantage of the quiet moment to eat some food he brought from home. Unfortunately, Sergeant Smith spots a speeding car just after taking a couple bites of his sandwich. He puts the sandwich away and rolls back into action. "It never fails to happen every time I try to eat," Sergeant Smith said with a smirk. The rest of the evening is relatively uneventful, which is both a blessing and a curse for Sergeant Smith. "Weeknights are usually quiet, while weekends are pretty eventful for us," said Sergeant Smith. "But sometimes a Tuesday or Wednesday will become a busy night." It's 4 a.m. and Sergeant Smith is filing the last of his paperwork on the night's events. He heads back out to refuel his vehicle and continues to patrol the streets of Kadena, remaining vigilant until the very last minute of his shift. Sergeant Smith returns to the security forces building to conduct a shift change with his relief before he calls it a day. After turning in his weapon he heads home. Sergeant Smith takes pride knowing he protected Kadena's resources and people, all with the love and support of his wife and children. "Family support is very important," said Sergeant Smith. "My wife and children are pretty flexible with my schedule and they understand the added responsibility I have at my level. There will always be calls to come in at odd hours, days I don't go home until around noon and supervisory duties to be fulfilled. As long as I have my family's support, it's all in a day's work for me."