General receives special pistol during ceremony

Since the Revolutionary War, general officers of the U.S. armed services have carried side arms for personal defense.

Under the U.S. Air Force General Officer’s 9 millimeter Personal Defense Weapons Program, every general officer is entitled to a 9 millimeter Beretta that remains with them until they either give the weapon back or keep it upon retirement. The program is part of the U.S. Air Force Gunsmith Integrated Product Team at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.

Keeping with historic tradition, KMC security forces members presented Brig. Gen. Mark Dillon, 86th Airlift Wing and KMC commander, with his general officer’s pistol at a ceremony Feb. 4 at the Combat Arms Training Facility on Vogelweh.

Master Sgt. Michael Lund, 86th Security Forces Squadron operations superintendent, and Tech. Sgt. Collin Keller, 86th SFS security forces armory NCO in charge, bestowed the general with his Beretta, including an upgrade from a leather holster and magazine holder to a local tactical holster.

“Wow, it looks fantastic. Not quite as good as Gen. Patton’s though,” General Dillon said, joking. “Hopefully, I can shoot as good as it looks.”

The general conveyed his appreciation for all the work that had been done to obtain the weapon for him. But his visit didn’t stop there – he had to give it a “test drive.”

After the presentation, General Dillon was given a refresher course by Tech. Sgt. Richard Soloman and Staff Sgt. Nathan Drumm, 569th U.S. Forces Police Squadron combat arms cadre members, and then headed out to the firing range to get familiar with his new weapon.

Afterward, the general and eight members from the 569th USFPS took part in a friendly competition. They fired 50 rounds total and shot from several positions, including weak-hand and strong-hand firing, something General Dillon had never done.

But in the end, there could only be one winner, and that person was Staff Sgt. Dean Le, 569th USFPS combat arms cadre member.

“It was a fun time having the competition with the general, other combat arms instructors and some of our security forces members,” he said. “I wasn’t really trying to compete against him, primarily. But sometimes we get some good shooters out here, and they show me up.”

After the competition was over, 569th USFPS Commander Maj. Christopher Bromen presented General Dillon with a red combat arms hat, designed specifically for him, and a 569th security forces brassard.