Partnership adds realism to training scenario

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Donald Matthews | Members of the North Carolina Army National Guard’s 105th Military Police Battalion from Asheville, N.C., team up with the local Black Hills Power and Light company personnel, to provide perimeter security during a simulated domestic training exercise designed to enhance critical infrastructure security, coordination and response. At the request of state and local authorities, this exercise provides validation of the unit’s ability to increase security at a facility in response to a credible terrorist threat.  

RAPID CITY, SD, UNITED STATES

06.16.2014

Story by Staff Sgt. Steven Reeves 

314th Theater Public Affairs Support Element

RAPID CITY, S.D. - Members of the 105th Military Police Battalion training in South Dakota as part of Golden Coyote 2014 teamed up with a local utility company on Saturday for a real-world training scenario designed to prepare them for a domestic disturbance.

The 300 members of the Asheville, N.C.-based National Guard unit worked with Black Hills Power security personnel to make the scenario, in which troops had to deal with civilian protesters outside of the Ben French power station in Rapid City, as realistic as possible.

"Where local law enforcement get overwhelmed with an issue such as Hurricane Katrina or any other large security piece, we can assist,” said Lt. Col. Eric Locklear.

Locklear said teaming up with Black Hills Power allowed the 105th to add a layer of authenticity to its training.

“We saw an opportunity not only to train, but to train in a different environment,” he said. Locklear said the exercise validated the unit’s ability to perform security operations in response to a credible terrorist threat.

Black Hills Power officials said cooperating with military units like the 105th is useful when evaluating company security procedures.

Vance Crocker, vice president of operations at Black Hills Power, said that while the company has procedures in place to deal with potential disturbances, it was helpful to put those procedures to the test with the help of the military.

“This exercise with the 105th MP Battalion provided a great opportunity to validate many of our internal processes,” Crocker said. “Black Hills Power gained a lot of experience and insight from this cooperative effort.”

The training scenario was one of many that have taken place across South Dakota since Golden Coyote kicked off nearly two weeks ago.

• Date Taken: 06.16.2014
• Date Posted: 06.16.2014 20:20
• Story ID: 133309
• Location: RAPID CITY, SD, US