Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Ryan Hohman | Awardees of the fourth annual CEN-TEX SWAT Challenge pose for a photo during a banquet...... read more read more
FORT HOOD, Texas - Special Weapons and Tactics teams from across Central Texas and the 89th Military Police Brigade’s Special Reaction teams gathered together at Fort Hood to test their skills and build esprit-de-corps for the fourth annual CEN-TEX SWAT Challenge Oct. 2-4.
The first responders were tested both physically and mentally over the course of the three-day challenge in events that included individual shooter and agility courses, a team shoot house and an obstacle course.
“The competition did a great job at building esprit-de-corps between units,” Command Sgt. Maj. Darren Borruf, command sergeant major of the 720th Military Police Battalion, said. “The amount of effort the Soldiers gave was very impressive and that speaks volumes to the work ethic and dedication they have to the organization.”
Once the dust settled and the last sandbag was carried, the Killeen Police SWAT Team was awarded the Hornsby Cup, the overall first-place trophy, in the 2014 CEN-TEX SWAT Challenge.
The competition offered a chance for the different organizations to come together and compete, as well as build relationships and skills.
“The competition is only one part of the event,” Borruf said. “Our Soldiers are able to build relationships with the local community and local departments during the event by training with and against some of the local departments.”
The event also built camaraderie among the different departments.
“I don’t look at it as a competition,” said 1st Lt. Radnee Anib, who serves as the acting commander of the 401st Military Police Company. “It was more of building teamwork among the other police departments and the SRTs here on Fort Hood.”
The competition was more of a chance to bring all of the surrounding communities together, Anib said.
“So that way if we do have to get all called up just like April 2, we already have that rapport built-up,” Anib added.
Throughout the competition the departments were able to both show and learn different tactics, techniques and procedures by working together.
“Having the competition, we get to see and share out different [tactics, techniques and procedures],” Anib said. “When we were entering and clearing rooms on Friday, we were able to share ideas that some of the different companies didn’t even know.”
These events help both the 89th MP Bde. and the surrounding communities to better serve and protect their citizens.
“If there is a strong partnership between Police, Fire, EMS and the leaders of the different communities, we make our ability to serve the different communities much more dynamic,” said Lt. Houston Johnson, who serves as the operations commander with the Harker Heights Police Department.
“It’s one thing for a few leaders to sit around a table and shake hands and talk about plans, but it’s another thing to have the people that are in the field actually trying to solve problems already used to working together,” Johnson said.
The partnership built among Fort Hood and its surrounding communities allows for a partnership unlike anywhere else.
“This is much more than just a SWAT competition, we do exercises together, disaster drills together, active shooting drills together, fire and EMS together, because we are all part of the armed forces community,” Johnson said. “I can’t tell you in the course of a week how many components of law enforcement and intelligence that I communicate with on post.”
The communication between the different communities creates a stronger and more cohesive law enforcement presence.
“Instead of looking at it as we are Army and they are civilian, we are looking at it as we are all in the same fight of law enforcement,” Anib said. “We are here to fight the bad guys, fight crimes and get the mission done.”
| Date Taken: | 10.05.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 10.18.2014 19:18 |
| Story ID: | 145418 |
| Location: | FORT HOOD, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 269 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, First responders test their skills, build rapport during CEN-TEX SWAT Challenge, by SFC Ryan Hohman, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
