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ORCHARD COMBAT TRAINING CENTER, Idaho – The smell of burning flesh pierces the senses of the 124th Security Forces Squadron as they navigate through a gray cinderblock building. Outside, music is being played in the village market, and occasionally the screams of babies can be heard as the Airmen maneuver from building to building, screaming “MOVE!”
Armed with M4 rifles, loaded with dye-marking cartridges, the Airmen attempt to clear the area of local villagers. They use smoke grenades of different, vibrant colors to screen themselves from the enemy ahead.
Shots are fired from rooftops and windows as they try to take control of the rebellious crowd. Villagers are being restrained in zip-tie handcuffs to keep them safe and out of the line of fire.
The Idaho Air National Guard 124th SFS participated in a Field Training Exercise (FTX) Sept. 12 at the Orchard Combat Training Center, a training facility located south of Boise, to prepare for potential deployments and real-life situations.
The 124th SFS split up into two groups for this exercise.
”We have both sides of the roles being played,” said Airman 1st Class Annelise Rowe, a force support specialist who was recently selected to be the 124th SFS operations officer. “We have American Airmen coming into a foreign village where there are terrorists who are holding and maintaining the village, and attacking them as they enter.”
Security Forces Airmen develop specialized skills daily that prepare them for scenarios like this exercise.
“Skills that they demonstrate on a daily basis like maintaining guard at the front gate, they’re doing that same thing out here maintaining guard at the buildings. It was really awesome to watch the skills they use on a daily basis out here in this training,” said Rowe.
The Airmen navigated many different buildings during the exercise that mimic locations that they potentially would see in a deployment. The buildings were setup to look like homes, shops and there were even secret passageways with jail cells.
Senior Airman Jessica Farrias, a Security Forces Instructor assigned to the 124th SFS said, “It’s definitely beneficial because it gives you hands-on training, and you’re able to actually effectively figure out how to work with the personnel in our squadron, flight guys and traditionals.”
The squadron participated in an exercise earlier this year named Shoot, Move and Communicate. The annual exercise taught close quarters battle training and helped prepare Airmen for this FTX.
Throughout the year, traditional and flight members were being prepared to use their skillsets to effectively communicate and move tactically from position to position in order to accomplish the mission.
The idea for this FTX came from Maj. Phillip Mills, the commander of the 124th SFS.
“This is the very first time anything like this has happened at the base, Maj. Mills came up with the idea and pursued it,” said Rowe.
Executing an exercise takes planning, preparation and being able to work together.
"One of the things that the Airmen displayed is teamwork, number one" said Rowe. "They took this mission and spent hours briefing and training on it this morning. The Airmen planned for it, they ran through it mentally and then they implemented the plan. Now they’re going to look back and evaluate the effectiveness of their strategies.”
“This group of people is just phenomenal, their enthusiasm for what they do and the pride that they take in their jobs is so evident with everything that they do,” said Rowe. “It’s a very cool, prestigious job, and I think it’s taken for granted. After watching them today, it’s an amazing group of people who are in this squadron. Getting to watch them in action is just great.”
| Date Taken: | 09.12.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 10.05.2015 14:47 |
| Story ID: | 178162 |
| Location: | ORCHARD COMBAT TRAINING CENTER, IDAHO, US |
| Web Views: | 135 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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