Courtesy Photo | U.S. Soldiers and Airmen with the Massachusetts National Guard, assigned to C Company,...... read more read more
WASHINGTON – While the Air Force and the Army have many differences, members of the two services continue to work together since separating nearly 75 years ago.
The cooperative relationship remains apparent through the ongoing efforts of Task Force Freedom, which consists of Soldiers from engineer, transportation and military police companies and about 50 Airmen from maintenance and security elements.
The Task Force, made of about 700 members of the National Guard from Massachusetts and Vermont, continues to support the U.S. Secret Service at key locations around the city. As a result, the task force’s teams – designated into companies - are continuously striving to improve using the experience from both internal and external sources.
U.S Army 1st Lt. Nathan Forest, of the Massachusetts National Guard’s 1060th Transportation Company, said the Airmen from the Massachusetts National Guard’s 102nd Intelligence Wing’s Security Forces - who were called up for various incidents and state emergencies in Massachusetts during the past year - “bring a culmination of skills and experiences” to help train fellow Airmen and Soldiers who serve alongside them in the task force.
“Most of the Soldiers and Airmen have sustainment or support missions and this training is well outside their normal duties,” Forest said, adding nonetheless, Soldiers and Airmen are learning from and working with each other well during training and while on shift.
“The Capitol Response mission requires all service members to be fluid and resilient as tempo changes continuously,” Forest said, adding that members of the task force have been working with U.S. Secret Service to improve their plans and operations, which will improve the process in their organic units following the mission.
As part of ongoing training, Forest said members of C Company learned from the experiences of two Airmen, U.S Air Force Master Sgt. Michael Anderson and Tech. Sgt. Justin Ehnes – both from the 102nd Intelligence Wing’s Security Forces Squadron – and U.S Army Staff Sgt. David Davis, of the Massachusetts National Guard’s 1060th Transportation Company.
Ehnes said it’s been a great experience to work alongside Soldiers from the 722nd Military Police Company, which has a similar mission and skillset of the 102nd Security Forces Squadron, “as they have been able to see the difference and similarities between the two branches.”
U.S Army 1st Lt. Christopher Babas, from the Massachusetts National Guard’s 182nd Engineer Company, said fellow Task Force members, from the Security Forces Squadron and Military Police units, are the primary trainers for C Company.
“The Security Forces have been a huge asset to us,” Babas said, adding he’s amazed how well his Soldiers and Airmen are learning new skills for the mission.
U.S Army 1st Lt. Jared Muir, of the Massachusetts National Guard’s 125th Quartermaster Company, said the members of A Company have great integration and are extremely motivated to learn the crucial skills for this mission.
Muir said the experience gained here during the mission is invaluable. He added the connections they made with the Air Force will prove equally helpful during future training and missions.
“We look forward to working with them when we go home,” Muir said.
| Date Taken: | 02.08.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 02.13.2021 14:20 |
| Story ID: | 389043 |
| Location: | DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, US |
| Web Views: | 255 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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