U.S. Embassy, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) -- You have just received a report of shots fired from inside the U.S. Embassy. The subject is wearing dark blue fatigues and there are multiple casualties. The Marine at the control center jumps into action; he immediately notifies a dozen Marines who start rapidly arming, donning protective equipment, and flooding the maze-like hallways of the US Embassy in Riyadh. Thankfully, this is just an Active Shooter Exercise being conducted by the Marine Guard Force in conjunction with members of the 879th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron from Eskan Village. The exercise is the final event in a week of collaborative training where the Marines used paint-ball like ammunition, known as “simunition,” to gain realistic training in support of their vital mission to secure the Embassy, US Ambassador and Embassy Staff. Leading the training was Tech. Sgt. Gabe Rodriguez, a veteran of various deployments and graduate of the U.S. Army Ranger School, whose unique perspective helped bring simunition training to the CENTCOM Area of Responsibility four months ago. Check Six is an AFCENT initiative to prepare and train first responders and personnel for Active Shooter incidents. The Defenders of the 879th ESFS are some of the first to incorporate simunition training into the program and the results have been noteworthy. Lt Col Joel Briske, Commander 879th ESFS notes, “This is exactly the type of realistic training our Defenders need. Seconds count when you’re in the midst of an Active Shooter incident and knowing how to move under fire helps ensure we are best prepared to swiftly eliminate the threat.”
It did not take long for word of such a dynamic program to spread to various agencies. The 879th ESFS already works closely with the U.S. Embassy on Force Protection related items throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, providing input for a counter-intelligence working group and sitting on the Ambassador’s Emergency Action Committee. “Relationships are key in everything we do and in this case having forged a relationship with the embassy led to a shared training opportunity for both partners,” said Lt Col Briske. Ultimately, a five day curriculum was developed where each of the Marines underwent specialized training with the teams they operate with every day. The final exercise scenario at the U.S. Embassy brought together everything the Marines had learned during a complex active shooter scenario with two subjects and multiple casualties. As for the value of the training, Deputy Regional Security Officer Brent Brown, responsible for securing the Embassy, outlined the impact of the joint effort: “The training provided by the Air Force to the Embassy Marine Security Guard Detachment was second-to-none. The Marines are now more motivated, focused, and prepared to provide security for the 500+ employees and family members in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.”
The historic joint active shooter training was just the first in what both the Marines and Defenders hope will become a long-term training partnership. “Having two unique fighting forces training together in close proximity helps each learn new ways to approach tactical problems—at the end of the day skills improve across the board so it’s a win-win scenario for both teams,” says Tech. Sgt. Rodriguez. The Embassy and Eskan Village have long worked hand in hand when it comes to advising the Royal Saudi Armed Forces and crafting Force Protection policy for the country. The partnership between the Marine Security Guard Detachment and the 879th ESFS is more recent, but vital nonetheless, ensuring that both forces are continuously prepared for a wide range of contingencies, not the least of which is an Active Shooter.