Photo By Staff Sgt. Candice Harrison | First Sgt. Robert Darringer, an infantry guardsman with 2nd Battalion, 151st Infantry...... read more read more
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MUSCATATUCK URBAN TRAINING COMPLEX, Ind. – Guardsmen from A and B Companies, 2nd Battalion, 151st Infantry Regiment, out of Gary, Ind., and Logansport, Ind., practice entering an American town, locating a Red Cross worker and returning them to safety at Mascatatuck Urban Training Complex, Ind., Aug. 5.
The infantrymen are training for stateside operations that might occur during a domestic chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear incident, as compared to the overseas missions they have trained for in the recent past.
“I’ve had to flip a light switch,” said Spc. Jeffery S. Walker, an infantry guardsman with the 151st, and a native of Chalmers, Ind. “Three years ago I had to train for combat and now I have to…have a soft posture, as if we’re entering our own city or neighborhood. It’s hard for a lot of us, because as soon as we hear ‘weapon’ it’s an automatic switch to combat. We’re trying to do a complete switch and have that compassion towards our fellow Americans in small-town communities or big cities, regardless.”
“We’re used to training for wartime operations, and it’s hard to flip that switch,” said Sgt. Wiliam Watson, an infantry guardsman with the 151st, and a native of Kokomo, Ind. “I constantly tell my guys, ‘look, this is your grandma you’re approaching. These are American citizens.’”
The guardsmen from the 151st training at the complex are part of the National Guard Reaction Force. The NGRF provides every state with a ready force able to first react within four to eight hours of a CBRN incident.
“If there is ever an incident, we’re called in to control the population, maintain order, and assist local law enforcement,” said Watson.
Because they are a state agency and not federal, the National Guard is allowed to perform duties that active duty military cannot.
“Active duty is held to constraints that they cannot detain, or do anything like that with American citizens on American soil,” said Watson. “With (United States Code) Title 32, National Guard soldiers, according to the state constitution, can be granted detainee powers in situations when they need more law enforcement.”
The training scenarios at the complex allow these guardsmen to hone their state side operations, allowing for a smoother transition from combat to a non-combat stance.
“In today’s exercise, we had a mission with some high value targets, Red Cross workers, being held hostage. In this (training) situation the governor…has granted us detainee powers,” said Watson. “A gang had taken them hostage. We were supposed to go in a lower posture and try to get the targets with minimal force possible and get them to safety.”
Training like this prepares the guardsmen to take on their new roles as protectors of the American people here at home, compared to defending the country overseas.
“(During this training exercise) there is a definite improvement with the way the guys are acting with the local population,” said Watson. “I’m seeing a lot of guys approaching the displaced civilians, and instead of barking orders at them in a military manner, they are approaching them like, ‘ma’am, we’re here to take care of you’ and move them along. We are trying to put their minds at ease during a time of uncertainty.”
| Date Taken: | 08.05.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 08.06.2012 15:23 |
| Story ID: | 92731 |
| Location: | INDIANA, US |
| Hometown: | BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA, US |
| Hometown: | COLUMBUS, INDIANA, US |
| Hometown: | GARY, INDIANA, US |
| Hometown: | KOKOMO, INDIANA, US |
| Hometown: | LOGANSPORT, INDIANA, US |
| Web Views: | 58 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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