615 CRW member Air Force's #1 Security Forces Airman

  • Published
  • By Capt. Paradon Silpasornprasit
  • 615th Contingency Response Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  A senior airman from the 615th Contingency Response Wing at Travis was recently honored at the Air Force level with the Airman for the Outstanding Security Forces Flight-level award.

Senior Airman Adriano A. Cicotti, 571st Global Mobility Readiness Squadron Security Forces, was recognized for his contributions to his career field, earning the award for the Air Force's top security forces Airman.

More than 14,000 security forces Airmen competed for the honor.

Depending on the mission at hand, Air Force security forces professionals are called upon to demonstrate their expertise in a range of areas. They may be called upon to act as law enforcement, convoy patrol leaders, threat advisors, security liaisons and crime scene investigators. During year in Iraq as part of a police transition team working with the Army, Airman Ciciotti continually demonstrated his proficiency in all these areas.

Deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Airman Ciciotti conducted 120 combat missions in Baghdad with 3,400 miles of patrols. He acted as a security liaison for a presidential visit to the region as well as safely escorted other senior leaders throughout the country. Additionally, Airman Ciciotti provided pivotal national elections security, facilitating a threat-free environment for a 250,000-voter turnout.

While in Iraq, Airman Ciciotti said his squadron worked closely with Iraqi police.

"We assisted with training, mentoring and equipping the Iraqi police while supporting their operations. I was proud to be a part of that," he said.

His squadron supported members of local law enforcement with day-to-day operations, whether it was working alongside them as a show of force to support the community or passing out supplies to local schools.

Furthermore, Airman Ciciotti coached 120 Iraqi police on proper prisoner treatment and supervised health and welfare of 38 detainees, improving care and safety procedures. Airman Ciciotti continued his training mission in the field, educating 200 Iraqi soldiers in insurgent operations.

Back at the 615th CRW, the Airman is determined to continue his mission of training and equipping by ensuring his fellow security forces members are prepared to meet the challenges ahead. Airman Ciciotti is currently the assistant for standardization and evaluation for the squadron. He said he plans to use his real-world experience as an asset in training those who have not yet deployed.

As part of a CRW, the senior airman emphasized how important it is to train constantly and maintain one's qualifications.

"We all need to take our training seriously and continually expand our knowledge base," Airman Ciciotti said.

Lt. Col. David Sieve, 571 Global Mobility Readiness Squadron commander, said Airman Cicotti is a key component of the 615th CRW's mission.

"I'm very proud to have an Airman of Adriano's caliber in our squadron, wing and the Air Force," he said. "Airman Ciciotti's proven performance is an inspiration to all. The security forces community and Air Force is a winner with Senior Airman Adriano Ciciotti."