Pumpkin Patrol safeguards base housing

  • Published
  • By Airman John Day
  • 14th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  Over 30 Airmen from Columbus Air Force Base volunteered to patrol base housing Oct. 31 for Halloween night.

Pumpkin Patrol is an event that happens every year on Halloween. From the hours of 5 to 8 p.m., volunteers don reflective police vests, flashlights and radios from the 14th Security Forces Squadron with the purpose of adding an extra layer of security to the base.

"We do this every year," said Staff Sgt. Chris Jones, 14th Security Forces Squadron NCO in charge of Integrated Defense. "Our job is to provide security for the on base trick-or-treaters. We make sure that nobody gets hurt, that people are travelling at the appropriate speeds and that nobody that's not supposed to be, is on base."

Airmen travelled in pairs and were assigned to a specific street to patrol. They were given instruction to assist families and to radio in any suspicious activity to the Security Forces Control Center.

14th SFS Airmen were not the only volunteers. Airmen of all squadrons were invited to participate, with some base leadership also coming out for the event.

"It was really fun and I got to meet new people in a different career field than my own," said Senior Airman Greg Hovland, 14th Contracting Squadron Contract Administrator. "Most importantly, you want everyone's family to be safe on that kind of a night with a lot of people walking around that aren't normally out that late."

Some Airmen used the volunteer opportunity in a different way. Those with children were allowed to walk with their own families while the young trick-or-treated. This allowed some to volunteer for the base community and to spend time with their families on Halloween.

"As adults we don't dress up as much, but it's exciting for the kids," Jones said.