Joint Base Lindsey Graham hosts Gunfire Recognition Training

Photo By Airman 1st Class Braxton Grant-Stokes | Matthew Woodall, Berkeley County School District Emergency Management and Safety director, speaks to a classroom of school teachers during Gunfire Recognition Training at the Joint Base Lindsey Graham - Naval Weapons Station, Aug. 6, 2026. The training event reminded teachers to keep safety and security in the forefront of their minds as students prepare to return to the classroom. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Braxton Grant Stokes)  

SOUTH CAROLINA, UNITED STATES

08.12.2026

Story by Airman 1st Class Braxton Grant-Stokes 

Joint Base Lindsey Graham

JOINT BASE LINDSEY GRAHAM, S.C. – Joint Base Lindsey Graham hosted the Berkeley County School District, Berkeley County Sheriff’s office and the Goose Creek Police Department as they conducted Gunfire Recognition Training at the Naval Weapons Station, Aug. 6, 2026.

The training event reminded teachers to keep safety and security in the forefront of their minds as they prepare to welcome students back into the classroom this fall.

“We have to get it right every time and cannot risk failure,” said Matthew Woodall, Berkeley County School District Safety and Emergency Management Director. “We’re responsible for everyone’s most prized possessions: their children.”

Teachers were instructed about different kinds of weaponry and firearm safety, while a small team of Emergency Management officers fired off blank rounds of ammunition from different locations around the building to simulate a real-world event.

During each scenario, the simulated events moved closer to the classroom and teachers, immersing the participants into the event so members could learn to function under pressure..

“I want to say thank you to everybody who goes the extra mile to ensure our children get home safe,” said Alfreda Pinckney, Berkeley County substitute teacher. “It was intense. With each shot, it made me think that every child in my care has to make it home.”

Joint Base Lindsey Graham works closely with city partners and regularly facilitates training to improve coordination and interoperability.

As a new school year approaches, this partnership between Berkeley County School District and local law enforcement serves as a reminder that safety is a shared mission. Partnerships like these are how the local community continues to grow together.

• Date Taken: 08.12.2026
• Date Posted: 08.12.2026 10:41
• Story ID: 572206
• Location: SOUTH CAROLINA, US