Force protection Airmen learn to use another tool

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Francesca Popp
  • 407th Air Expeditionary Group Public Affairs
ALI BASE, Iraq (AFNS) --  Force protection augmentees with the 407th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron here have added an intermediate item to their tool belt when they began training on how to use a collapsible baton here recently.

The batons allow Airmen to engage an opponent using nondeadly force in accordance with Air Force policy, said Staff Sgt. Gary Hutchings, the 407th ESFS NCO in charge of training.

"Not every scenario ... is going to require an immediate go-to-your-gun type of response," Sergeant Hutchings said.

The force protection Airmen are from various career fields who may only receive basic combat skills training before deploying, he said. Once the Airmen arrive here, they take the collapsible baton training.

"I thought the baton training was very rewarding," said Senior Airman Matthew Holden, a 407th ESFS force protection Airman. "It's always good to go out there well-equipped for any situation."

Airman Holden, a munitions systems storage crew chief deployed from Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, volunteered for this assignment. He said he soaked up all he could from the training.

"Before the training, you might as well have given me a stick," said Airman Holden, whose hometown is San Antonio. "Once the training was through, it really became an actual tool ... a means to an end. I feel very proficient with it."

The collapsible baton is a low-key tool that is easily concealable, but once employed, its use for intimidation and deterrence is high. The baton provides a lower level of force to deter aggressive or physical behavior.

"We train the force protectors to understand when it is appropriate to use the baton and (how to) use it safely," said Sergeant Hutchings, who is an individual mobilization augmentee with the 75th SFS at Hill AFB, Utah, and a member of the Department of Energy's Tactical Response Force. "It's important to ensure each trainee understands why we train. We develop correct muscle memory responses during high-stress situations and instill confidence in ourselves and our equipment. We train to a successful conclusion creating a positive experience toward the training, which must be as close to the real thing to (as possible) prepare ourselves to desensitize our minds to the realities we may face."

During classroom training, the instructors emphasize to the students where they can and cannot strike a person if they must use the collapsible baton.

"We identify the principle target areas where the baton can be used," he said. "We definitely identify the areas where the baton is not meant to impact on the body."

The instructors put students through a series of remedial drills to bolster their confidence. Sergeant Hutchings said once the students start getting down a good repetition, they'll develop the proper skills and techniques. From there, the students conduct multiple practical scenarios.

"We'll have a trained instructor dressed in a padded suit and he'll act appropriately based on the impact he receives from the student," said Sergeant Hutchings, a Spanish Fork, Utah, native. "We want the student to react as realistically as possible. For example, a scenario may be that one person just knocked someone else down. The force protector needs to stop it. The person in the padded suit doesn't want to stop because of his aggressive behavior. The role playing will take off from there."

The training took Airman Holden out of his comfort zone.

"When (the instructor) got in the padded suit and someone of his size is coming at you, you know you're going to have to use something," he said. "You're paying attention to where you're going to hit somebody. You really have to do what you've been trained to do (to positively control the situation). It's just not something you do every day. You've taken yourself out of your element, and you're doing your job on cue."

Sergeant Hutchings and his staff are training more than 150 Airmen how to use the collapsible baton. Anyone can take the training, but he said it is mandatory for force protection Airmen.

"There's a lot of situations where force protectors are a lot smaller than their advisory and, with that, there are many strength and size disadvantages we can come across," Airman Holden said. "(We must) always have the advantage in a bad situation, because at the end of the day it's important for us to go home."

"The ultimate goal is to protect life, not to take it," Sergeant Hutchings said. "If this training is available and people understand and use it correctly, then I think we got the mission done with the lowest level of force used."

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