KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- For Lt. Col. Juan Cabrera, returning to Kirtland Air Force Base to serve as commander of the 377th Security Forces Squadron was more than a professional milestone. It was a homecoming.
“In 1997, this was where I took my first steps in the Air Force,” said Cabrera, who was once an airman stationed at Kirtland. “We used to hit the movie theater on Fridays, hang out at the picnic tables, and grill out. Coming back here, 27 years later, to command the 377th Security Force Squadron — it was a full-circle moment.”
Cabrera, a lieutenant with the Albuquerque Police Department and a reservist in the U.S. Air Force, stepped into the role of 377 SFS commander under unique circumstances. When the position became vacant, a permanent commander could not be sourced from within the active-duty force, so the Air Force Reserve sought volunteers. Cabrera, already living in Albuquerque, stepped up, serving on active-duty orders for a year to lead one of the busiest and most complex security missions in the Air Force.
“I didn’t realize how intense the mission here really was until I became the commander,” Cabrera said. “With 108 mission partners, including Sandia National Labs, the Department of Energy, the 58th Special Operations Wing and the 150th Special Operations Wing, it’s nonstop. Kirtland is a beast.”
Spanning more than 52,000 acres with over 108 mission partners, Kirtland’s size and scope present unique security challenges. Cabrera said even with his decades of police and military experience, including time at Holloman AFB, the pace and responsibility at Kirtland stand out.
“This has been the busiest assignment of my career,” he said. “Being in Security Forces is always demanding, but this takes it to a whole new level.”
In addition to leading the squadron, Cabrera brought his dual expertise as a civilian police officer to the job, where he worked to build stronger ties between Kirtland and APD. With nearly 24 years of service in APD, Cabrera used his position to send base investigators to APD’s new Detective Academy, expand training opportunities with SWAT and other APD units, and encourage joint classes in bike patrol and marksmanship.
“Cross-training with APD brings new tools, skills and relationships to the table,” he said. “And for our defenders, it expands their network and makes them better prepared for real-world situations.”
Cabrera knows the power of dual service firsthand. After leaving active duty in 2001, he immediately joined APD, later transitioning into the Air Force Reserve.
Despite the long hours and heavy responsibilities, Cabrera said the opportunity to lead the 377th was worth it. His commitment to both the Air Force and the local community is rooted in childhood dreams that he has lived out.
“Ever since kindergarten, I wrote that I wanted to be in the Air Force and a police officer,” he said. “My mom still has the book.”
He credits his father, a retired senior master sergeant who served 30 years in the Air Force, for inspiring his own career path.
“I plan to follow in his footsteps and hit that 30-year mark myself,” Cabrera said.
Cabrera relinquished command on July 10, he plans head to his home unit with Pacific Air Forces at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii before he returns to his role at APD. He will be bringing back not just experiences, but stronger bonds between the two organizations.
As for advice to aspiring defenders? “Be proud of the responsibility,” he said. “Security Forces carry live weapons, guard critical national assets, and stand watch while others live in peace. Embrace the role of the sheepdog. Even if you're not always liked, you are always essential.”
After nearly three decades in uniform and countless hours in both blue and camouflage, Cabrera’s dedication remains clear.
“Whether it’s the base or the city,” he said, “I go to work knowing I’m standing the watch.”