Pumpkin Patrol volunteers ensure safe Halloween

Senior Airman Matthew Garcia, Airman 1st Class Sebastian Landivar and Senior Airmen Christabelle Hawkins, 790th Missile Security Forces Squadron defenders, patrol a section of Atlas Housing, F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo., on Halloween, 2013, as part of the Pumpkin Patrol. The Pumpkin Patrol is a volunteer 90th Security Forces Group effort to keep kids safe while trick-or-treating. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jason Wiese)

Pumpkin Patrol volunteers ensure safe Halloween

Published Nov. 4, 2013
By Airman 1st Class Jason Wiese
90th Missile Wing Public Affairs

F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. -- Volunteers from the 90th Security Forces Group and Airman Leadership School Class 14-A took part in the 90th SFG's Pumpkin Patrol and patrolled the streets of base housing areas here on Halloween to keep trick-or-treaters and property safe.

After attending a guardmont, or pre-departure briefing where they learned their roles and responsibilities for the evening, the volunteers broke off into groups of four and headed to separate areas on base to patrol from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. -- the time when Col. Tracey Hayes, 90th Missile Wing commander, directed trick-or-treating to occur.

Pumpkin Patrol volunteers directed traffic, ensured children were safe on and off streets and prevented acts of juvenile vandalism associated with Halloween, such as egging and "TPing" houses, said Staff Sgt. Nicholas Boutin, Pumpkin Patrol organizer with the 90th Security Forces Squadron.

"The physical presence of security forces prevents bad things from happening," said Airman 1st Class Toll Griffith, 790th Missile Security Forces Squadron Flight 7 member and Pumpkin Patrol volunteer.

To help the volunteers stay warm, some families allowed them to stop in their homes, designated "warm houses" to warm up and get refreshments donated by the 90th SFG Top 4, Boutin said.