113 SFS keeps cool under fire

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- Members of the 113th Security Forces Squadron, District of Columbia Air National Guard, attended the Air Force Phoenix Warrior Training Course at the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center Oct. 19 to 30 here.
Security forces members attend the course to learn skills they may need to use while deployed in support of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. The expeditionary center provides advanced expeditionary combat support, training and education.
Some of the training taught during the course is: military operations in urban terrain, combat first aid, and mounted and dismounted patrol.
"I learned a lot, especially about self-aid buddy care," said Master Sgt. Robert Waters, 113 SFS fire team leader. "When you have to apply medical help under fire and there are all kinds of noise going on around you, you have to stay concentrated on your patient. We also have to provide security at the same time, which is really, really intense."
"Some of the training I knew before I came here since our unit just completed an ORI, but the training was more in depth," said Senior Airman Lucien C. Halfhuid, 113 SFS fire team member. "I was expecting to sleep in tents, but we actually got rooms to sleep in, so that was really good."
"A lot of the Guardsmen are very motivated about the training and are eager to learn," said Tech. Sgt. Paul Evans, U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center 421st Combat Training Squadron instructor. "They like to hear what we have to say and they are willing to offer up any experiences they've had and help us make our courses better.
"This [training] is important because it's the fundamental skill sets that Maj. Gen. Mary Kay Hertog, [2002 to 2004 Security Forces director] wanted us to teach security forces Airmen before they deploy. Our training has increased survivability rate for security forces members going down range."
The most difficult part of the training for Sergeant Waters, this will be his fourth deployment, was running around and doing PT and then trying to fire at a target. "We had to run up a hill, do push ups and then fire a weapon trying to keep the target in sight. We were out of breath and it was kind of hard to shoot. You have to be in shape so you can catch your breath and shoot the target."
Sergeant Waters said, some of the training was new to him and some of it refreshed his memory. "You always have to learn something. You have to build on what you already know and share it amongst the younger troops. We have a lot of younger troops and we all came together and we learned and we built on it. It was great training."