VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Staff Sgt. Robert Ford, a 30th Security Forces Squadron dog handler, walks to meet a convoy approaching the gate during a North Star exercise here Thursday, Oct. 20, 2011. The exercise trained Airmen during a simulated deployed environment in which they practiced deployment training and response time.   (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Lael Huss)