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BAUMHOLDER, Germany — Defenders with the 435th Security Forces Squadron hosted a 17-day pre-deployment training course, which began at Sembach Kaserne and ended at U.S. Army Garrison Baumholder.
The 435th Regional Training Center hosted security forces Airmen from around U.S. Air Forces in Europe, seven or eight classes a year and a maximum of 104 students at one time. Training consists of dismounted and mounted patrols, land navigation, range estimation, firing weapons, and tactical firing under stress.
“Most of the students who come through are young, haven’t deployed yet and got most of their training in tech school, but once they leave here you can tell they’re more confident,” said Staff Sgt. Craig Stott, 435th Security Forces Creek Defender course instructor. “It’s difficult not to have a successful course with the best cadre in the Air Force doing the training.”
Throughout training, members are critiqued by technical orders to ensure each person is following the regulations and does the job that security forces does, he said.
“We practice mounted patrols to ensure everyone knows what they’re looking for when it comes to identifying improvised explosive devices, (and) suspicious individuals. We also do mounted patrols for counter-intelligence operations,” Stott said. “For dismounted patrols, members go outside the wire on foot, going on a presence patrol, where security forces members show villagers that they’re there to help. Normally, these aren’t violent, but we prepare just in case things don’t go well.”
The training provides younger Airmen a chance to hone their skills before deployment, making sure they’re ready for what’s to come.
“I feel ready to deploy. The cadre taught us well here, refreshing the basics and teaching us more detailed techniques for when we go downrange,” said Airman 1st Class Cole Truex, deploying from Royal Air Force Mildenhall. “You never know what’s going to happen when you go outside the wire, but now I feel prepared for if things go badly.”
After the training, Airmen take certain things back with them. For one Airman, it was the technology that security forces Airmen have available to them now.
“The thing that will stick with me when I head downrange is the technology that we have — things that reduce casualties and make our jobs easier,” said Senior Airman Pedro Sanchez, also deploying from RAF Mildenhall. “It’s amazing the technology the Air Force is providing the security forces Airmen.”
