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At a moment's notice: SFS prepared to defend the base

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Michael Charles
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  The sound of loud weapons fire echoed throughout the corridors of the mall. Service members who were simply going about their day, shopping, taking classes, and enjoying lunch, were now lying on the ground motionless.

Moments earlier a man with a rifle had walked into the building and simulated opening fire on random patrons.

The simulated attack was part of the base's active shooter exercise, which tested first responders and the base populace's reaction to defending the base, a critical priority for all service members deployed to Southwest Asia. The objective of the exercise was to test how agencies around the installation work together to lock down the base, notify the members of the installation, prevent the loss of life and respond to the injured.

Staff Sgt. Zachary Coltey and Senior Airman Rodney Creekmore, 379th Expeditionary Security Forces specialists were conducting routine patrols around the complex and were among the first on the scene.

The pair arrived at the mall and quickly cleared each section of the mall on their way toward the food court. Coltey looked toward the glass doors at the far end of the mall and noticed a man with a rifle making his way back inside from the patio area.

Coltey cautiously approached the outside of the food court, just outside of the shooters peripheral vision. Once close enough to engage the shooter, Coltey made his move.

"Get down!" yelled Coltey, as he pointed his rifle at the man, which was now little more than a car length away.

"Drop your weapon and get down now," he said again.

The man turned toward him and without saying a word, quickly raised his weapon.

Simulated gunfire echoed throughout the building. The shooter was down.

"As first responders, we are the first on scene at any emergency scenario," said Coltey. "Exercises like this not only give our guys the training needed to see and respond instantly in an evolving scenario but also teaches our Airmen to work together in a real-life scenario."

Security forces Airmen train year-round to ensure they are ready respond to scenarios like this one.

"We train for these situations," said Airman 1st Class Damien Taylor, 379th ESFS specialist. "When we aren't deployed, we are fine-tuning our procedures for situations just like this."

The security forces Airmen's job was not complete once the simulated threat had been neutralized. As more and more security forces members responded to the incident location, their priorities switched from securing the location to providing first aid to the simulated victims of the exercise.

"Many people think that security forces just maintain a perimeter and secure the scene," said Coltey. "However, being first on scene allows us to access the injured quickly and, in many cases, provide life-saving first aid to members in critical condition until the doctors arrive."

Capt Joshua Lawson, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing plans and programs officer and exercise coordinator, emphasized the importance of holding these exercises.

"We continually test our defenses and response capabilities for weaknesses," said Lawson. "By doing so, we are able to identify and correct issues so that if the worst happens we'll be prepared.

During the exercise, Sergeant Coltey and the Airmen of the 379th ESFS lived up to the Air Force security forces motto of "Defensor Fortis," which in Latin means defenders of the force.

"This time it was just an exercise but the threat is always out there," said Coltey. "Our job is to take care of that threat, should it arise, in the quickest and most effective way possible in order to save lives."