Photo By A.J. Coyne | Tech Sgt. Eric Peter, of the South Carolina Air National Guard's 169th Security Forces...... read more read more
GEORGETOWN, S.C. - Airmen from the South Carolina Air National Guard’s 169th Security Forces Squadron based out of McEntire Joint National Guard Base are gaining valuable, real-world experience while providing on-site security to the Vigilant Guard South Carolina exercise March 3-12, 2015, in Georgetown, S.C.
Vigilant Guard is a series of federally funded disaster-response drills conducted by National Guard units working with federal, state and local emergency management agencies and first responders. More than 5,000 military and civilian personnel throughout S.C. are participating in the current exercise, which simulates a category four storm striking the South Carolina coast.
“This exercise is a chance to put all our hard work and training together and execute a mission to show our capabilities,” said Tech Sgt. Eric Peter, a team chief with the 169th SFS, speaking not only of the security forces squadron but the South Carolina National Guard as a whole. “This instills confidence in civilians that the National Guard has their back and we will be there for them when they need us. We’re not just telling them but we’re showing them that we can meet and exceed their needs.”
“This shows we can do what the Adjutant General tells them we can do,” said Staff Sgt. Chad Peebles, the 169th SFS antiterrorism manager.
The 169th SFS rolled into Georgetown County Airport on March 6 and within an hour and 40 minutes its members were conducting normal operations from their Mobile Defense Operations Center, while also providing perimeter security to the location.
“We’re the first ones in and the last ones out,” explained Peebles explained.
The MDOC is a valuable tool for the SFS that can be used in real-world situations or in training. Thanks to a camera mounted atop a 20-foot tower, the 169th has 360-degree views of the entire exercise location. Inside the MDOC Airmen can view the live camera feed on a laptop, communicate with other first responders via radio or computer, and transmit information to and from exercise participants miles away.
The 169th also deployed to the exercise with a Security Forces Domestic Operations Kit. They are the first unit in the Air National Guard to deploy the kit, which includes equipment for any situation they might face in a domestic operation including riot control, crowd control, search and rescue and more, according to Peters.
A security forces squadron is designed to protect and defend high value targets and that’s exactly what they are doing in Georgetown, explained Lt. Col Paul Laymon, commander of the 169th SFS. The mission required prior coordination with the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office, as well as the FBI, to identify any possible threats to the exercise. In addition, printed satellite views of the area helped familiarize the 169th SFS members, as well as the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office, with the exact location of the exercise as well as its terrain.
At the height of the exercise, more than 600 military and civilian personnel from multiple states were on site at the Georgetown County Airport. The Airmen worked in two teams of four, with one shift on duty from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and the other from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Each shift performed routine checks around the exercise location, including at night when they inspected vehicles and facilities to make sure doors were secure and that there were no laptops or personally identifiable information lying around.
When Gen. Frank Grass, the Chief of the National Guard Bureau and a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited on March 9, the Swamp Foxes were ready. In addition to Grass and numerous other high ranking National Guard officers, there were a number of media members and personnel from outside agencies on the ground.
“Our personnel worked with them in advance of his visit,” Laymon said of Grass’ security team. This meant coordinating on his itinerary, planning routes and identifying and possible threats.
“When he arrived we secured one entry point in and out of here so it was secure,” Laymon explained.
Although they realize their duties sometimes make it inconvenient for others, they make no apologies for performing their duties to ensure everyone and everything is safe.
“There’s no such thing as security and convenience,” Laymon explained. “We err on the side of security. We want people to perform unimpeded but we want them to do it safely.”
| Date Taken: | 03.10.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 03.10.2015 16:10 |
| Story ID: | 156542 |
| Location: | GEORGETOWN, SC, US |
| Hometown: | MCENTIRE JOINT NATIONAL GUARD BASE, SC, US |
| Web Views: | 115 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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