USAF Phoenix Raven Program

The Phoenix Raven Program is a detachment of the U.S. Air Force Security Police (officially referred to as the U.S. Air Force Security Forces since 1997) responsible for providing close-in protection and security to transient aircraft when they travel to airfields where security is unknown or needs additional security personnel to counter local threats.  Members of this program are referred to as Phoenix Ravens, or more simply, Ravens.

Teams of 2 to 4 specially equipped Ravens deploy as aircrew members on missions designated by the Air Mobility Command of the U.S. Air Force.  Phoenix Ravens must remain on-call 24 hours a day in the event that a short notice mission would require their assistance.  It is not uncommon for a Raven to be woken out of bed in the middle of the night to hear news that he or she will be out of the country for the next two or three months.

When a Raven deploys on a designated mission his or her duties will include protection of the aircraft and those on board, protection of cargo on board, advisement of aircraft personnel on all matters relating to security and force protection, conducting security assessments of the airfield and taking actions to detect, deter, and counter terrorist threats to Air Force personnel, property, and assets. 

In order to be considered for membership into the Phoenix Raven program, a person must currently be serving in the U.S. Air Force Security Police career field.  In addition to the training which one must complete in order to become a Security Police specialist, prospective Phoenix Ravens must attend and pass a two week, 12 hour a day training course conducted by the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center at Fort Dix, New Jersey.  Prospective Ravens are instructed on various subjects including cross cultural awareness, unarmed self defense, aircraft searches, airfield survey techniques, advanced firearms training, embassy operations, explosive ordnance awareness and anti-hijacking duties in cooperation with the Federal Air Marshal program. 

While the duties of Phoenix Ravens around the world are relatively the same, there are some variations as to how some Phoenix Ravens operate and work on a day to day basis when not conducting a Raven mission.  Since all Phoenix Ravens are trained in military law enforcement, it is not uncommon to see some Phoenix Ravens performing routine security and law enforcement duties at their home station Air Force base while they wait for their next mission to come up.  These Phoenix Ravens are fully integrated into squadron operations and do the job of a Raven "on the side". 

There are some Air Force bases which host Phoenix Ravens that allow their personnel to do nothing but train and prepare when not on a mission.  These Ravens are usually treated as their own section within an Air Force Police squadron and are not integrated into normal squadron operations.  Training can consist of practical security exercises, basic military survival exercises (like land navigation), physical training/conditioning, weapon qualifications, or accomplishing personal medical/administrative appointments.

The decision of whether to integrate or separate Phoenix Ravens from the rest of the Security Forces squadron population mainly rests on the shoulders of the base Security Forces commander where the Ravens are stationed.  Security Forces commanders are under no obligation to assign their Ravens either way.  So long as that commander is able to meet manning requirements for Phoenix Raven missions and home station force protection requirements, that Security Forces commander may run the Phoenix Raven program for their assigned base as they see fit.

The financial benefits of becoming a Phoenix Raven usually include tax free pay, family separation pay, per diem, and hazardous duty / hostile fire pay for most places a Raven could travel to. 

While Phoenix Ravens are within their first two years of Raven service, by regulation, they cannot be deployed on traditional Security Forces force protection missions overseas.  This means that a Raven (for the first two years of being a Raven) will only participate in designated high risk aircraft/aircrew security missions.