Photo By Bethany Huff | U.S. Army Capt. Trayton Hendrix, the Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment...... read more read more
POZNAN, Poland – In a milestone for security training, U.S. Army Garrison Poland hosted its inaugural Anti-Terrorism Officer Level 2 course for 46 Soldiers and civilians at Camp Kosciusko, April 22-26, 2024. The course provided crucial skills to address dynamic threats in the region and marking a significant step forward in bolstering security measures.
“We’re here to aid in the discovery of unique vulnerabilities for the situation and to help [the students] conduct assessments within the limitations of Host Nation to ensure that their commanders are more successful with their planning process,” explained Christopher Wilson, an instructor with the Mobile Training Team assigned to the U.S. Army Military Police School in Fort Lenord Wood, Missouri.
Students implemented the anti-terrorism risk management process at Camp Kosciusko, with expectations to formulate, justify, and communicate decisions across five comprehensive products and a concluding three-hour exam, all rooted in this strategic framework.
The course itself was successful, but the journey to get the mobile training team out to Poland took a lot of leg work for the garrison’s Anti-Terrorism Officer, Arllan Ibit.
“No matter how you look at it, Poland as a whole is the new Eastern front,” said the Seattle native.
“When it comes to the rotational units, V Corps, and establishing the garrison in Poland, we are in a mix of hardened and expeditionary structures, which in turn provides a lot of potential ant-terrorism issues.”
This mix of structures currently spans across U.S. Army Garrison Poland’s footprint of 11 Garrison Support Elements within Poland.
“Each garrison support unit is different and presents challenges in their interpretation. We had to provide continuity to bridge that gap,” explained Ibit.
The idea to bring the ATO course to here, sparked last summer when U.S. Army Europe and Africa brought their team over to train staff here.
“I thought to myself, okay if USAREUR-AF was able to bring their own team down from Germany, why not ask to have the MTT trainers from the United States come over here,” said Ibit. “Throughout the year, I kept pinging them and eventually we made it happen.”
Ibit's determination and strategic coordination paid off, as he exceeded enrollment expectations. This success underscores the crucial importance of proactive security training in the region.
“The bigger picture is this is a force multiplier,” Ibit explains. “For example, I’m preparing to leave, but my replacement will not be here for a while. With that said, we now have newly trained ATOs. They can step in to fill that gap, that role until my replacement gets here.”
As Ibit underscores the course's role as a force multiplier, highlighting the importance of readiness during transitions, participants waste no time in applying their newfound knowledge to enhance operational effectiveness.
"This course is crucial as a military officer," said Staff Sgt. Hector, assigned to the 317th Military Police Battalion, currently on rotation to Poland. "For example, my job currently is ensuring there are no breaking and entering into our facilities or premises. As a new ATO, I will look to see what vulnerabilities on our systems haven’t been evaluated yet to prevent those events.”
This course will return to USAG Poland once a year, for the foreseeable future, as the garrison continues to expand and grow.
U.S. Army Garrison Poland, headquartered at Camp Kosciuszko in Poznan, is a vital hub supporting 10,000 American Soldiers across 11 Garrison Support Units in the country. As the newest garrison in the Army, it plays a crucial role as the 'Army's Home on the Eastern Flank.'
| Date Taken: | 04.26.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 04.26.2024 10:40 |
| Story ID: | 469627 |
| Location: | POZNAN, PL |
| Hometown: | SEATTLE, WA, US |
| Web Views: | 65 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, USAG Poland hosts first Anti-Terrorism Officer course on Camp Kosciusko, by Bethany Huff, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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