JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas – It’s Mission Monday. Meet Lt. Col. Chris Jackson, chief of the Air Force Security Forces Training Division at the Air Force Security Forces Center.
Jackson and his team manage all facets of the security forces career field’s training for nearly 48,000 Defenders across the enterprise. That includes technical school curriculum, upgrade training, deployment training, combat arms and the security forces weapons and tactics program.
We asked the Gig Harbor, Washington, native to tell us more about himself and what he and his team does for the enterprise.
What do you love about your job?
The variety of challenges that each day brings. It’s never groundhog day in this job.
When it comes to your job, what keeps you motivated?
The Airmen. They keep me grounded and stand as a constant reminder that the staff work we do is important and impacts them across the globe.
Why are you and your team important to the Air Force and Space Force enterprise and your customers?
Training is the foundation of basic military discipline mission execution. Without it, the mission can fail. Ensuring that we are properly organizing, training and equipping Airmen for the next fight is the most important mission in the Air and Space Forces.
Describe a project or event you and your team worked on recently that gave you a great sense of accomplishment:
Defender Flag and Defender Challenge. Defender Flag was the first ever full mission profile exercise in the history of the security forces career field. It encompassed 186 competitors from 12 major commands and 200 support personnel. Defender Challenge is a long-standing tradition in which four-person teams from 11 MAJCOMs compete for top honors in weapons proficiency, tactics and physical agility. October’s Defender Challenge was the first we’ve executed since 2018 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
How does what you do support AFIMSC’s strategic priorities?
Training does all of these things … Increasing lethality and readiness, strengthen Airmen, Guardians and families, pursue organizational excellence and amplify warfighter culture IS the mission and all of the facets of the next fight.
Is there anything else you’d like to add which might help people understand the importance of what you do for the Department of the Air Force?
We organize, train and equip Airmen. Without training, we cannot organize or equip the force. Training is the cornerstone of being the world’s most lethal Air Force.