USAF Patch Airlift v AMC Phoenix Raven Aircraft Security Force

USAF Patch USAFE Air Mobility Command AMC Phoenix Raven Aircraft Security Force Global Protection 1997 Velcro Fully embroidered merrowed edge 89mm three and one half inches diameter.

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History  

Following the Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia in 1996 and other attacks on US assets out of combat zones outside the US Air Mobility Command activated the Phoenix Raven Program with the first 24 operatives completing training on 22 February 1997 to provide close in security to counter local threats for AMC aircraft transiting airfields in high terrorist or criminal threat areas and austere locations additional security is required. Specially trained and equipped Air Mobility Command security forces personnel form teams of two or four to deploy as aircrew members reporting to the aircraft commander on AMC missions designated at risk by the AMC Threat Working Group.    

Raven teams help detect deter and counter threats to AMC aircraft by performing immediate aircraft security advising aircrews on force protection measures conducting airfield assessments and assisting aircrews in the performance of their duties when not performing their primary security duties on all types of airlift missions where necessary including theatre support tasks contingencies deployments and exercises. 

Phoenix Ravens training is conducted by 421 Ground Combat Readiness Squadron of Air Mobility Warfare Center AMWC at Fort Dix NJ provides cross cultural awareness legal considerations embassy operations airfield survey techniques explosive ordnance awareness aircraft searches and unarmed self defence techniques and on completion are allocated a unique consecutive number used as identification prefixed by the word Raven. 

The Phoenix Raven force of approximately 200 security personnel operates from Little Rock and Dyess AFBs and at a number of bases in Europe and the Pacific with Air National Guard ANG and Air Force Reserve AFRES maintaining a number of Ravens to support their significant contribution to US airlift missions throughout the world. 

Phoenix Raven teams are known as Murder Crews after the acronym for a group of ravens being a murder of ravens. 

Following the 911 attacks in 2001 Phoenix Ravens added anti hijacking procedures at the US Federal Air Marshal FAM Service training centre Atlantic City and assisted the US Federal Air Marshal FAM Service through its expansion with Ravens standing in where FAM manpower could not accommodate flight schedules until 2006 when FAM Service had sufficient personnel.  

Phoenix Ravens have undertaken numerous missions worldwide including combat zones in Iraq Afghanistan Africa South America and other locations where cargo missions are required but US ground personnel are limited with some clandestine and highly classified.  

This patch dates from 1997.