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DENNIS ROACH |
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Friday Oct 18, 2001
Some of you may have been told that I received paperwork to go back onto active duty for this latest conflict. I reported this morning to the flight surgeons office for my physical and even though I wanted to go I knew that I wouldn't pass. Been out too long and not in the same shape I was when I retired in 1991. So I will just have to be there in spirit with the men of Special Operations. Nightrider 11 |
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Sure makes this apology worthless, doesn't it??? |
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Chuck
& Mary Schantag June 30, 2001 Dear
Chuck & Mary, First
let me apologize to you, Mike Anderson, David Walker, Mike McGhie,
fellow retired veterans and those on active duty for I have committed
not on purpose but because I fell into a group of what I thought were
friends who were sincere and honest, but only to find out that were not
honest with me nor themselves. I
have gone to the site in question and printed to entire document. You
will find in the enclosed package hand written comments with the
straight facts to each highlighted area. I know that I may remain on
peoples questionable list and nothing I say will ever be taken serious
or as honest truth, but the enclosed documents are copies of official
documents for your review. I only ask that once you have completed your
investigation and research that the documents would be returned since
some are the only copies I have and couldn't make a photocopy. I
entered the Air Force on Jan 22, 1971 and after graduating from basic
training went into the Security Police career field with my first
assignment with the 4500th Security Police Squadron at Langley AFB,
Virginia. When I got there, I was assigned to the Security Police
Elements Contingency Support (SPECS) deployment team as a M-60
machine gunner. Dec 1971, our flight was deployed to support the 366th
Security Police Squadron based at DaNang AB, Viet Nam. During this 120
day TDY, was assigned to various helicopter squadrons as security
support. This meant that wherever the unit was deployed to in a forward
location, we went to provide security support. This is where I was
assigned the call sign Nightriderl 1 and the SOS should be Special
Operations Support not Squadron since the term Special Operations
Squadron applies to our AF Spec Ops units. In April 1972 our flight was deployed with other SP units to reopen Takhli RTAFB. This was an experience and half since this base had been closed for a few years and was comely over grown. This is where I first experienced never shoot just a King Cobra as they travel in pairs. July
1972 received PCS orders to the 366th Security Police Squadron assigned
to DaNang AB. In February 1973, the base was closing and those who had
sufficient time in country to complete a tour were allowed to rotate
back to the states. Those who didn't were rotated to bases in Thailand
to complete their tour. I was rotated to NKP AB, Thailand. This is where
I provided security support for the 21 St Special Operations Squadrons
helicopters and other assigned aircraft. I rotated back to the states in
July 1973.
July 1973 to Oct 1974 I was reassigned to the 4500th Security Police
Squadron at Langley AFB, Virginia. Was once again reassigned to the
squadron's SPECS Deployment Flight. Nov
1974 to Sep 1978 was assigned to the 32°d Security Police Squadron at
Camp New Amsterdam, The Netherlands. In 1976 the AF started a push
worldwide to have Security Forces trained in Air Base Ground Defense (ABDG),
in fact Brigadier General Thomas Sadler who was the top cop issued the
blue beret to all Security Police personnel. Myself and two other
personnel were sent TDY to Lackland AFB, TX to go through this new
course to get trained and train the rest of our squadron personnel upon
returning. I really enjoyed this new arena since in the SPECS mode we
formed a base line defense and waited for an attack. The new mode meant
that we would run recon patrols and actually try and find the enemy.
Upon completion of our course at Lackland, we went to Ft Benning and
went through the US Army BNOC School. Having learned tactics used by the
Army Infantry units and what senior AF personnel thought should be
taught we went back to our base in The Netherlands to designed and
develop our own training program. We must have done a pretty good job
since when we went to exercises against other Security Forces we won
majority of the exercises and evaluations. Sep 1978 to Oct 1979 was assigned to the 6a' Security Police Squadron at Otis AFB, MA providing security to the 6d' Missile Early Warning Squadron. This was one of two original sites for the PAVE PAWS Radar Sites. Our site was surrounded on three sides with woods and because of my training; I was responsible for establishing base defense security. During our initial Operational Readiness Inspection (ORI) the inspection team ran multiple attack scenarios and each time our Security Forces were able to repeal the attacks with minimal casualties. Was cited by the Inspection Team as an Outstanding Performer. One was on the East coast at Otis AFB, MA and the other was on the west coast. It was here that my commander advised me and other Security Police support personnel to apply for Officer Training School (OTS), I did and was selected. Received my first AF Commendation Medal upon departure. Jan 1981 received my commission as a 2"d Lieutenant and then went to technical school for Security Police Officer School at Lackland AFB, TX. It was an honor to have two former Squadron Commanders to be present at the graduation from OTS to pin on my new Lieutenant bars. Going through the Security Police Officer Basic Course was very interesting since my class has several Senior NCOs present who had to retrain into a new career field and had a 1St Lieutenant that had for some reason I couldn't understand cross service jump from the Army to the AF. Since Lackland is the school for all Security Police training, my class (except the 3 females) was exposed to a lot of the field training with the enlisted going through ABDG training and field exercises against other units to include the Army. The school cadre was impressed with the tactics I employed and once again we won majority of the training exercises.
Upon completion was assigned to the 4th Security Police Squadron at
Seymour Johnson AFB, NC.
March 1981 arrived at Seymour Johnson AFB, NC. Upon arrival, was
assigned special projects, plans and ABGD Officer. The 4th SPS was under
the command of 91' Air Force under the major command of Tactical Air
Command (TAC) and was part of the Rapid Deployment Force (RDF). The 4th
SPS provided base security to both TAC and Strategic Air Command (SAC)
aircraft. Each year SAC held their annual competition events called
Giant Sword. The SPS portion was tactics in securing a weapons storage
area from an aggressor force, competition shooting and other events. As
the ABGD Commander, I was assigned to assist the team in tactics
planning. In
November 1981 or there about, my flight was deployed to Site Golf in
Egypt when President Sadat was assassinated. Our forces joined other
Security Forces to defend this installation with all the political
ramifications in the region. In
January 1982 was deployed to Exercise Elf One at Riyadh AB, Saudi Arabia
as Chief of Police in charge of a 32 man Security Force unit guarding
two E‑3A AWACS aircraft and two KC-135 aircraft while the
USAF and US Navy provided 24X7 surveillance monitoring the Iraq and Iran
conflict. Each TAC base was responsible for providing an Officer and
twelve men for a 120 day TDY. Upon completion of my tour, was awarded
the AF Achievement Medal. In
June 1982 my flight was deployed to Silver Springs Alpha Auxiliary
Field, which is a training area of Nellis AFB, NV. This was the training
ground for all TAC Security Forces to be evaluated in ABDG tactics.
During the two-week training exercises, my flight received the
highest marks ever (to date of our time) given by the cadre. In
August 1982 was sent TDY to Ft Benning to attend Infantry Office Basic
Course (IBOC). This was an experience and a half since and sorry I don't
remember the total number of students, but there were five AF Security
Force Officers and the rest were Army Reserve Officers and the bulk was
new graduates from West Point. I can tell you that the inter rival
service jokes were alive and well. I was able to use the previous combat
experiences and previous training experiences to maintain my own with
the Army Officers. Even the Army cadre was impressed. I was so gun ho
during this course that I spent most of my time learning new tactics
that could improve my own ABDG flight upon returning to my base. In March 1983 my flight was once again deployed to meet a possible threat by Libya as his forces threaten Chad. The planners had named this Operation Early Call. In
May 1983 I was once again sent TDY to Silver Springs Alpha to attend the
TAC's version of pre-Ranger training. I completed this course
being recommended by the cadre as being qualified for a slot given to
the AF to attend the Ranger School at Ft. Benning. However, I never made
it to Ft Benning. I know this doesn't make me even close to being a true
Army Ranger and would never ever think about degrading this great force
of trained men. I learned to respect these men as I went through the
ranger portion of IBOC.
In October 1983 as part of the RDF, several, Security Force ABDG flights
from the Major Commands of MAC and TAC were deployed to join the forces
assembling for Operation Urgent Fury. Our job was to secure and maintain
the Air Field after the initial forces were either air dropped by the
8th Special Operations Squadron or the amphibious assault. The ABDG
flights performed base security and protected the various aircraft that
brought in re-supplies. All Security Force personnel received the Bronze
Star with Valor Device for their services. Upon
returning back to my home base of Seymour Johnson, I had orders waiting
for me to go to the 8th Security Police Squadron at Kunsan AB, Korea.
Received the AF Commendation Medal upon departure. Upon
reporting to Kunsan, I was assigned the duties of Air Base Defense
Officer and immediately had to develop planning a major revamping
security of this installation. The unit had just previously failed their
ORI, which caused the entire Officer and Senior NCO staff of being
fired. This was my most significant challenge since the unit had to
provide both regular aircraft security, nuclear weapons storage site
security and base defense security within the assigned 500-man
squadron. I was able to utilize my training from IOBC, pre-ranger, other
training courses and my limited combat experience in setting up base
defense security to include a FDC, mortar pits, track positions, heavy
weapons positions, TRP's, IRP's and Stinger weapons positions. Two sides
of water and two sides surrounded Kunsan by rice patties. During my
tour, the outfit passed their ORI re-evaluation with an outstanding
rating. I was also the planning Officer for Team Spirit 84 since it was
held at Kunsan. This as most know is a JCS exercise of the TIPFIDEL
forces coming from various locations to defend South Korea in case of an
invasion by the North. Since we had nuclear weapons, each quarter we
were required to implement the recapture plan of a loss or over ran
nuclear storage area. This was another opportunity for myself to excel
with my Army training since a Company from the Second Infantry Division
would fly down to join forces that were left to recapture the base and
re-secure the lost weapons. It was my responsibility to establish the
necessary communications with the in-bound forces with the
pre-designated phase lines and then meet the in-bound Chinooks to
provide the necessary SITREP briefings. Of the six Security Force
Officers assigned, three of us had completed IBOC and though it was not
authorized by AFR 3510, we all wore the cross rifles insignia on the
under side of our collars. During the post exercise debriefing, the
Battalion Commander would be upset because majority of the time the AF
won. The IBOC qualified Officers would stand together and in order would
raise our collars to show the Commander that he got beat by his own
training. It was funny, because he would just sit in a chair, smile and
laugh and say I'll be damn there went the neighborhood. Received the AF
Commendation Medal upon departure. September
1984 I was assigned to the 437th Security Police Squadron at Charleston
AFB, SC as the ABDG and Mobility Officer. We had three squadrons of
C141's with one the 41St MAS was the special operations squadron.
Because the 437t` MAW was selected as one of the many wings to fly
re-supply missions all over the world, I was responsible to make
sure that I had trained Security Force teams assigned to flight with the
aircrews to perform aircraft security once the aircraft landed. The
437th SPS was one of MAC's most tapped units to spend their ABDG Flight
to support a mission as well as the Aircraft Security Flight; both were
prime teams for the RDF. This is where we came in deployment contact
with bases in Honduras, Panama and other locations in that hemisphere.
MAC had their ABDG training school called Volant Scorpion located at
Little Rock AFB, AR. My flight deployed there and competed against other
ABDG Flights to see which flight had the best preparation. Once again my
flight had proven themselves to be good and could hold their own, even
though I felt I had a team of limited combat experience unlike the team
I had at Seymour Johnson. MAC started to make standard issue the ATV
3wheelers to support each ABDG Flight. In 1986 the squadron got a new
squadron commander who was a C-141 Pilot who needed to have
command experience to make Colonel. The squadron Operations Officer
started to refuse my training requests, my requests for additional field
support to make sure everyone was trained properly, couldn't keep
certification current and I had to play Commander, trainer and aggressor
at the same time. I knew my time had expired and I tried to get MPC to
re-assign me to another combat unit but it never happen. Too many issues
came to surface and was a victim of political ambushes. I was a victim
of being in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong type of
people. Though I had a good record, was given back to back referral
OER's for sub par performance, which led to my demise and was processed
out as an Officer. Since I was enlisted prior to getting my commission,
I was given the opportunity to come back enlisted at the pay grade of
E-5 to finish my career and move into a new career field. In
July 1987 I was assigned to the 2853rd Air Base Group Accounting Finance
at Robins AFB, GA. Upon reporting in, the 2853`d Security Police
Squadron was short on personnel and was always going to various support
squadrons to get augmentees. I knew the squadron commander and he had me
assigned as an augmentee to support the ABDG Flight because of my
previous training and was welcomed by the assigned ABDG Commander. It
was welcome environments to get back to were my love was. In November
1979, the Accounting Finance deployment team was sent TDY to Howard AB,
Panama because they were in a shortage of Finance personnel. This is how
I was to be present during Operation Just Cause. Although I had nothing
to do with the invasion forces, I was already there. I returned back to
Robins AFB in March 1990. Just when you think you are ready for
retirement, once again our Finance team was deployed to Riyadh AB, Saudi
Arabia to support Desert Shield. AS everyone knows Desert Shield turned
into Desert Storm and I was already there. I returned back to Robins AFB
on March 15, 1991 and retired April 1, 1991. You now have my entire career. I represented myself with who I was and what I was until Jan 1999. I was divorced in Dec 1998 after 26yrs of marriage; the wife came home and said that she didn't want to be around a sick man anymore. I had developed a respiratory infection, had several attacks and was admitted many times to the hospital for it. Doctors had no idea of what it was so they treated it with steroids and later found out a side effect of steroids is diabetes. So when the marriage ended so did the friends that I had and became closer to Ed. I first met Ed when we both worked for a computer company called Vanstar in 1995. Ed had talked about of a lot of these different things that he did but I just let them go as stories. Even today he talks about the different things that he had done and ties me into these stories but they are just stories. I have had no involvement military wise with him. I feel victim to his stories and then got drawn into his world by trying to become someone I wasn't. I placed three false combat decorations on my military rack, which were the Silver Star, DFC and the Purple Heart. AS you will see on my DD FM 214, I do have a Bronze Star and Air Medal. I was awarded the MSM but I can't locate the orders nor is it listed on any of the DD FM 214's. I do apologize to everyone for committing an image of someone that I wasn't and will never happen again. If accepted, and I am serious about this, I would like to join your forces of identifying these frauds and let people know just who they are. If there is anything else you need and I can't think of what it might be, please let me know and I will answer your questions. I made a reference to a lady named Captain Mary Klinkler. She was a very good friend, was a Nurse and was killed April 4, 1975. She is listed on the Wall at Section 01 West Line 122. If she only knew what I had turned into, she would have kicked my butt from here to eternity. I have always tried and strived to be the best I could be and fallen in the past few years just to find a group to belong to. Sorry to admit that I fell in with the wrong crowd. Thanks
you all for your time, patience and indulgence. Sincerely, [signed] Denny Roach Denny |
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