ITEM # 3:                Tan Son Nhut

SUBJECT:            Security Police Operations

DISCUSSION:      1. The gun/equipment room was considered adequate for storage of security police weapons and equipment. The following discrepencies were noted:

a. The gun/equipment room was manned with 13 personnel against a validated requirement of ten personnel.

b. Security of the gun/equipment room was Unsatisfactory.The front and rear door to the gun/equipment was open on 3 and 4 April 1967 with no controls over personel entering and departing. A member of the team was inside the gun room looking around before his presence was noted by gun room personnel.

c. The NCOIC of the gun/q=equipment room was unfamiliar with directives pertaining to operation of gun/equipment room.

d. The 377th Air Police Squadron had a total of 1,000 M-16 rifles of which 90 are 5.56 sub-machine guns. The unit authorized of air police personnel and officers is 927. Seventh Air Force letters, subject: Armor Equipment, dated 18 Oct 66 and 24 Feb 67 directed all units to turn in surplus weapons and equipment. In addition 7th AF letter, subjuct: 5.56 Sub-Machine Guns, dated 27, Jan 67 directed that upon receipt of the sub-machine gun surplus M-16 rifles should be turned in. There was no no evidence to indicate compliance with any of the cited letters.

e. The isolated location of Squadron Training Section (and NCOIC) on the North side of the base was not efficient to organization management and supervision. One of most important aspects of the training progress (upgrade and OJT training) could not be adequately supervised by the NCOIC office and it was located on the South side of the base. The following deficiencies were noted:

(1) The office of the Training Section was not of sufficient size for the required functions. The general appearance was one of cluttered congestion.

(2) The established 3 day course for formally assigned personnel did not correspond to the April training schedule.

(3) A long range training program had not been established. The training schedule was established on a month basis, with little or no pre-planning. This is a repeat discrepency.