An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

379th ESFS holds active-shooter training

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Joel Mease
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  While patients at the 379th Expeditionary Medical Group clinic lobby waited for their name to be called Dec. 28, a patient began to make threating demands and suddenly sounds of gun fire filled the halls!

Thankfully for the medical clinic members and patients, this was just an exercise designed to give service members an opportunity to train in real time on what to do in an active shooter situation.

"This training gives us the closest to a real situation as we can to practice neutralizing the threat in the fastest and safest manner possible," said Tech. Sgt. Michael Rutter, 379th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron NCOIC of training. "This also helps the unit where the exercise is being held to see how they would react in a lock down situation."

The added element of drama helps the 379th EMDG by playing out a realistic scenario to prepare them for the worst-case possibility. Complete with actors yelling, gunshot sound effects and theatrical makeup for gunshot wounds, the 379th EMDG staged the most frightening situation they could.

"One of our members told me that as he sat behind the locked door and heard screaming, the gunshots and banging on his door, he realized his heart was racing and he was truly nervous," said Master Sgt. Crystal Trevino, 379th EMDG NCOIC in charge of medical readiness. "When I heard that, I knew our training had hit the target."

An active-shooter scenario is a possibility every service member has to consider regardless of where they work.

"You never know when someone is going to go off on a shooting spree," Rutter said. "This can happen anywhere, from a school to a hospital to a public area. There is no set pattern, agenda and age group."

Service members face many dangers, but the simple threat of a guy with a gun is the most likely threat scenario a service member will encounter, Trevino said.

"We are passionate about exercising this scenario because the threat is real," Trevino said.

According to Rutter, if an active shooting does occur, there are only three options a person can take, and he or she has only seconds to choose:
  • Flee. If you hear the shots, and you have an easy way out, get out.
  • Hide. Find some sort of cover or concealment. Barricade yourself in a room, closet or bathroom - anywhere inaccessible to the shooter. If there is nothing to hide behind, make yourself the smallest target possible in case the shooter tries shooting though doors or walls.
  • Fight. If you believe you have a good chance of stopping the suspect, then do it.
A person won't likely know when an active shooting may happen. The best way to prepare is to be educated.

"You never know when or where this might occur," Rutter said. "The best way to defend yourself is with training and knowledge."

Service members can prepare themselves by knowing their workplace - where to hide and where the closest exits are, and be aware of their surroundings and practice what to do.

"If you are not proactive then you might end up as one of the victims instead of a survivor," Rutter said.