Security forces hold FTX over UTA weekend

  • Published
  • By Tech Sgt. Samuel King Jr.
  • 919th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
DUKE FIELD, Fla. --  "Be prepared."

The Boy Scout motto was put into practice March 6 - 7, when the 919th Security Forces Squadron held a Field Training Exercise at Eglin's Field Five during the UTA weekend here.

"This (FTX) was to prepare and equip our Airmen with the skills they need to be ready for real world contingencies," said Lt. Col. Christopher Simpson, 919th SFS commander. "These skills are still required in the combat environment, and the more these procedures are exercised the easier it will be for Airmen to recall them if a situation arises."

The FTX scenarios consisted of self-aid and buddy care, tent building, force-on-force movements, land navigation and prisoner searches. 20 Airmen were split into four to five-person squads that had to work together to complete the timed objectives. The clear skies and cool temperatures made for an optimal training day deep in the forest of the Eglin range.

"Many of our Airmen have experience with these skill sets, with their job, active-duty or deployments," said Colonel Simpson. "But we also have new reservists just coming into the squadron that have to know these real-world applications within our small training window."

Force-on-force training had squads advancing along a clearing and taking fire from an enemy position. The squad had to maneuver around to take out the enemy and secure the position while avoiding battlefield clues like improvised explosive device markers and decoy positions.

During land navigation, a squad had to plot a course on a map to an objective, then follow it through a dense forest area while maintaining combat awareness.

The scenarios forced the squad members to work as a team and analyze how best to complete the scenario. The prisoner search had step-by-step protocols so nothing is missed.

These procedures need to be executed often, so it becomes second nature and those steps need to be followed to avoid bad habits and short cuts. A forgotten step or missed detail can put Airmen in danger, according to a SFS instructor.

The tents built during the scenarios were the shelters for the night for the squadron members. While the Air Force Hennessy team visited the 919th dining facility, SFS received meals-ready-to-eat to maintain the FTX's austere, bare-base combat environment.

The FTX wrapped up early March 7, but the 919th SFS training is ongoing.

SFS will revisit and reaccomplish each of these individual training scenarios again throughout the year, according to Master Sgt. William Stapp, 919th SFS as well as a (DAGRE) Deployed Aircraft Ground Response Element member.

The 919th SFS does not perform regular base security forces functions, but continually train and prepare for deployment security details. 96th Security Forces Squadron maintains the gates and flight line at Duke Field.