Safety Stand-Down at Camp Ramadi

Photo By Liesl Marelli | Sgt. Andrew Drake and Spc. Ian Wigington of Battery B, 3rd Battalion, 157th Field Artillery, Colorado Army National Guard, 115th Fires Brigade, hold up the tow bar attached to the front of a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle as fellow Soldier, Pfc. Jonathan Hoover, directs the vehicle using hand and arm signals during a demonstration at a safety stand-down event at Camp Ramadi, Iraq, Dec. 11. The Soldiers are demonstrating how to attach a "broken" vehicle to an operational one for Al Anbar Provincial Reconstruction Team members who are often on missions with them.  

RAMADI, IRAQ

12.11.2009

Story by Staff Sgt. Liesl Marelli 

3rd Battalion, 157th Field Artillery

CAMP RAMADI, Iraq — Venturing throughout the greater Ramadi area and occasionally into remote areas of al Anbar province, they operate together frequently enough that a comfort level and personal bond has formed. The most important element is to understand each other's role.

They are two teams, civilian and military: the Anbar Provincial Reconstruction Team and its security team, known in military parlance as a "personnel security detail." The PSD's mission: get the PRT safely to meetings so they can conduct business and return safely to Camp Ramadi.

The PRT and their PSD, Colorado National Guard Soldiers of Battery B, 3rd Battalion, 157th Field Artillery, 115th Fires Brigade came together, Dec. 11, for a safety "stand-down" to cross-train the civilian PRT members in some of the Soldiers' tactics, techniques and procedures to further enhance their working relationship and comfort levels.

The day kicked off with an initial introduction by Battery B commander, Capt. David Wilcox, who explained the different training stations or "lanes." They included how to egress from a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle through the top escape hatch, how to operate a M9 pistol and a M249 Squad Automatic Weapon, how to apply a tourniquet and how to operate as a PSD.

Many PRT members said they had gone through similar training before, but they welcomed refresher training.

The training was geared around the many "what ifs" that could take place while out on a mission, said Wilcox. It was not a matter of creating subject matter experts in the field. Rather, the training gave the civilians a hands-on experience while allowing them to ask questions and learn more about those who serve as their protectors on missions.

However unlikely it might be that a civilian would have to operate the weaponry, according to Spc. Casey Ferguson who taught the machine gun class, "[The training] gave them a sense of security knowing that, if they had to operate the weapons, they could."

PRT members also learned to crawl out of the top hatch of an MRAP, climb down the vehicle and return safely to the ground.

"You don't want it to be your first time out of the hatch when things are exploding," said PRT Senior Governance Advisor Joshua Rosenblum.

Al Anbar province has been quieter than it has been in years but it's important to fight the feelings of complacency and always train for the worst, said Wilcox.

"It's useful to do hands on training, said PRT Provincial Affairs Officer George Tietjen. "Anything to reinforce muscle memory that will be there in a stressful situation helps."

The final practical exercise consisted of Soldiers and PRT members switching roles, whereby the PRT became the security detail and the soldiers the PRT.

"Many [PRT members] realized why we must perform our duties in a set manner and formality while they are performing their missions," said PSD team leader Sgt. Thomas Sholtis.

While the PRT members acted as the PSD, instructors threw in random variables such as local nationals approaching the group, or a PRT member stopping to tie his shoe and getting left behind. The scenarios helped demonstrate why it's important to listen to the PSD so they can keep full control and provide protection during missions, said Sholtis.

"Everyone here appreciates the 157 for doing this for us because you don't want to do things for the first time in an adverse situation," said Rosenblum. "We are grateful for the training and the security they provide [while on missions] because it would be impossible to do our job without them."

"This unit protects us when we go outside the wire. There is a feeling of appreciation for the work they do [from PRT members]. And, the training reinforces the appreciation of the skills involved in them providing security for us," said Tietjen.

• Date Taken: 12.11.2009
• Date Posted: 12.30.2009 06:39
• Story ID: 43281
• Location: RAMADI, IQ