2d Bomb Wing commander and vice swear in as City Marshals

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Alexandra Sandoval
  • 2d Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  Col. Steven Basham, 2d Bomb Wing commander, and Col. Gerald Hounchell, 2d Bomb Wing vice commander, received an honorary Marshal badge from the Bossier Parish City Marshal June 5.

A City Marshal delivers summons and provides security for the Bossier City area. City Marshals are important to Barksdale's community to ensure the safety of the Airmen and their families. 

"The City Marshal understands the impact that this base provides and as such that they can help as much as possible," said Colonel Basham. "Our interaction with the community is a very good." 

Both Colonel Basham and Colonel Hounchell took an oath and swore in as City Marshals by Johnny Wyatt, City Marshal. 

"I am very proud," said Colonel Basham. "We as the base are part of the community feel the responsibility to serve and protect the nation and now to serve and protect this community." 

The Bossier Parish City Marshal has been swearing Barksdale's 2d Bomb Wing commanders and their vice commanders for many years.
After being sworn in, the colonels signed the official forms to becoming an honorary City Marshal. 

"The City Marshals are just like every other citizen," said Colonel Basham. "The City Marshal is our eyes and ears for our Airmen outside of the perimeter." 

Any type of security threat outside the base is always a concern of the base commander. 

"Also the Marshals tie the base and parishes together in one entity from a security aspect," said Colonel Basham. 

A flashing blue light was the main item given to the wing commander and vice commander. The light is placed in the commander's government vehicle when driving off base. An I.D. was also given to each colonel with their photo placed in it and a City Marshal Badge. 

"Just in case we find ourselves off base, as many cases we travel outside the perimeter and we need to get back in a timely fashion. The blue light is used for a quick respond primarily back to base if the mission dictates," said Colonel Basham. "It also provides us the identification to others we are trying to work around traffic." 

The blue light has not been used by a commander in 18 years but is there in case of emergency according to Marshal Wyatt. 

"We want to lend a hand to our Barksdale Airmen," said Marshal Wyatt. "We want to make sure they are safe and secure and we plan to do that to the best of our ability. We have the best training here in Bossier City and we plan to use it if we need to." 

Barksdale and the Bossier Parish City Marshal work as one team to aid one another to keep the on and off base community safe.