FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska - The 472nd Military Police Company participated in a site security simulation as part of a training and certification exercise in preparation for an upcoming deployment.
The exercise gave soldiers and their leadership an opportunity to apply their military occupational specialty skills and rehearse military drills in a simulated theater of operations.
The soldiers planned, organized and ran missions on several scenarios that could possibly occur while deployed.
“We are training on different tasks on area security,” said Staff Sgt. John Lum, a squad leader assigned to the 472nd Military Police Company. “We can be called to provide security to (Forward Operation Bases) or any location the Army deems needs to be secured.”
“We are doing everything from checks and maintenance on our weapons and equipment to make sure it is operable and training on anything from first aid, reacting to contact and any skill-level tasks that we may come under,” said Lum.
“MPs are always ready to do any of our functions, from law and order, area security to detainee operation, we just have to train up to be ready for whatever is asked for,” said Lum. “Area security is one of the MP functions.”
Armed with various weapons including M4 carbine rifles, M240 machine guns, body armor, night vision devices and motion-sensor alarms, the soldiers guarded their posts and communicated with each other consistently throughout the mission, keeping everyone informed and on their toes.
The training scenarios, created to simulate real-world situations, were designed to test the soldiers on their ability to react under pressure and to put their battle drill rehearsals to the test, such as a simulated nuclear, biological, chemical alarm activations that sent everyone rushing to don their protective masks.
“NBC hasn’t been a big thing around the military (until recently),” said Sgt. Detrick Rogers, a military policeman with 472nd MP. “Chemical warfare is becoming a big thing again in other countries.”
“We are getting guys used to donning their masks and just feeling comfortable wearing the masks,” said Rogers.
The overall scope of the company’s training event was to ensure its soldiers are trained and ready to deploy.
The unit is scheduled to provide security for the Air Force on their upcoming deployment and though they do not know what to expect as far as site set up and available resources, Rogers said he felt his unit was up for the task.
Nearly 100 soldiers are scheduled to deploy to Andersen Air Base, Guam, for a three- to six-month deployment in support of Task Force Talon. Providing site security, one of the many military police functions, will be their primary mission while they are away.
“We will have to assess what is already set up there and improve it and make it better,” said Rogers. “But ultimately I think we are ready for it.”