CENTRAL CITY, Ukraine - As part of the Field Training Exercise, being held during Operation Rapid Trident, the Ukrainian Army conducted a vehicle checkpoint operation in which soldiers practiced searching for illegal narcotics.
The purpose of the exercise was to teach skills that would contribute to the safety and security of not only the soldiers, but also the general population.
The training was centered on a vehicle checkpoint where soldiers had to stop, search, and detain a potential drug trafficker.
The checkpoint operations for narcotic trafficking, uses several resources to succeed in its main mission to prevent the flow of drugs and other contraband. There are multiple functions for the checkpoint, to include: stopping narcotic trafficking, preventing insurgent attacks, and preventing Vehicle Born Improvised Explosive Devices.
“There are several ways you can accomplish a checkpoint operation,” said Maj. Victor Sarkozi, a U.S. Army Soldier who was there to observe and advise during the exercise.
So long as the soldiers learn that they have a specific role in the operation of a checkpoint, and they realize it’s for a short duration, they will have the key elements associated with the checkpoint, said Sarkozi.
The main function the checkpoint plays is the gathering of intelligence on suspicious vehicle and drug traffickers. This operation uses a step by step method to accomplish its main goal of stopping narcotics. For this mission, the process started with an intelligence source that gave information on a possible attempt at smuggling narcotics. The soldiers then set up barriers and a gate to stop oncoming vehicles. From there, they began checking identification papers and ended with a search and seizure of the vehicle and the detainment of the suspects.
This mission is a great learning tool for the Ukrainians who are hosting Rapid Trident.
For checkpoint operations, the soldiers receive a lot of experience both from the observers, and the instructors, said Ukrainain Lt. Nikolay Trenin, who was in charge of the exercise.
The main idea of checkpoints is to ensure that the safety of the soldiers as well as the security of the location remain intact. Checkpoint operations, though in this scenario was specifically for narcotics trafficking, can also be useful in a myriad of situations. Training such as this shows how checkpoints are very important to protecting military operations and lend valuable skills to help soldiers accomplish their mission.