820th Base Defense Group
The 820th Base Defense Group is an integrated force protection unit of the United States Air Force currently based at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. The group was activated in 1997 as a trained force protection unit of 12 Air Force Specialty Codes with an airborne capability. The group provides the United States Air Force's only first-in, worldwide deployable, fully integrated, multi-disciplined, self-sustaining base defense capability. The 820 BDG comprises the 822 BDS, 823 BDS, 824 BDS and the 820 COS. History. The group traces its lineage to the 82nd Combat Security  Police Wing, active from 1968 at Fairchild Air Force Base, WA., and then Fort Campbell, Kentucky. The 82 CSPW was inactivated in 1983. Since its re-activation in 1997, the 820 BDG has deployed in support of Operations Desert Safeside, Southern Watch, Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, Inherent Resolve, Bright Star, Operation Resolute Support, Operation Freedom's Sentinel, Operation Juniper Shield, Operation Juniper Micron, and Operation Spartan Shield. It has deployed to locations such as Iraq, Djibouti, Egypt, Kuwait, Oman, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkey, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Niger, and Kenya. The group also deployed in a humanitarian assistance role to New  Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Fifty members of the 820 BDG/823 BDS deployed to Port-au-Prince in response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake to assist with security and humanitarian efforts. In August 2009 it was announced that Airmen from the New York Air National Guard's 105th Security Forces Squadron from Stewart Air National Guard Base would support the 820 BDG with manpower for their deployments. Since then, Airmen from the 105 BDS have integrated with the 820 BDG for training and deployments. The 820th Security Forces Group was redesignated the 820th Base Defense Group in October 2010. The 823rd  Security Forces Squadron, in 2007 was changed from “Safeside” to “Jesters” some veterans, current troops and family members of the unit maintain the Safeside Association. The volunteers maintain the history of the unit, provide periodic newsletters and organize an annual reunion at Moody Air Force Base. The group today. The 820 BDG is different from other Security Forces Groups in that it is not on a rotational schedule, also known as Air Expeditionary Force (AEF) and supports the Department of Defense's Immediate Response Force (IRF). The concept of the 820 BDG is to have a high operations tempo and  be ready to deploy to open and establish bases for joint operations in any location at a moment's notice for extended periods of time. The Base Defense and Combat Operations Squadrons are made up of Security Forces, medics, communications, logisticians, vehicle maintenance, civil engineers, personnelists, explosive ordnance disposal, and intelligence specialties. Various Department of Defense schools are available to the group's personnel, and may include: Airborne, Pathfinder, Army Sniper, Ranger, Air Assault, Special Reaction Team, the Close Precision Engagement Course (CPEC), Raven B sUAS, Air Advisor, and EMT. The Group has four subordinate squadrons: 820th Base Defense Group