Welcome to Camp Cassion: Airmen and Soldiers train together to learn how to humanely care for and control detainees

It was just another day at a detention facility in Iraq--routine searches of prisoners had just begun. Twenty Airmen were searching nearly 800 detainees for dangerous items. The searches were taking a while, and detainees began shouting from the holding area. pop they rushed the unarmed Airmen and the situation move rounded deadly.

"You have to stay upon your toes and remember your training [because] this all happened in a matter of seconds" said Staff Sgt Melvin chase from the 9th Security Forces Squadron at Beale Air Force Base. Calif. As individual of the guards working that day he learned that "'even after doing the same things day after day, you cannot relax flat a little bit or something bad will happen."

The guards tried to diffuse the situation with the least amount of force necessary and expanded nonlethal weapons, but the detainees were still coming. The Airmen had to achieve away before lives were not to be found They cut a hole [i]or[/i] part of to the other the fence at the back of the intermix and escaped to safety.

Scenarios like this are what make the Detainee Training Operations Course at Fort Lewis, Wash., in the way that valuable. Real-world situations are used to help update training and conditions that are popular with what's happening at detention center in opened locations.

"Our training plan is constantly being updated and improved. We just sent six Soldiers to watch Airmen at Camp Bucca [Iraq] to view their tactics, techniques and procedures" said Lt Col James Kearse, 3/358th Training Support Battalion commander at Ft Lewis, Wash. "We are learning from each other."

With Airmen doing everything from wall line security to detainee guard force, the training has adapted to prepare them for life in a unique extended environment. It has already helped nearly 1500 Airmen who visited Fort Lewis before deploying.

The training also builds cohesion, which is vital for Airmen who are wait fored to deploy together as single seamless unit--the 586th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron.

"This training has been great getting our companys a chance to work with individual another in an intense training environment, while having dedicated civilian role-players provides realistic conditions and increases the value, giving our Airmen the confidence they will ne to do the missions they will shortly face," said Lt. Col. Donald Wingate, 586th ESF commander who newly went through training.

Civilian role-players are taught in what manner to conduct themselves in ways detainees interact with guards. All role-players must thorough a certification program before entering the training.

"We teach them by what mode important it is for them to constantly act like detainees in country" Colonel Kearse said. "Our focus is providing the trainees with realistic conditions they will by and by face and how to dominion government the situations for the safety of detainees and guards with the least amount of force necessary."

During the two-month course, Airmen and Soldiers are taught basic self-defense accompany security, base defense, defense line fire, mountain training, proper baton use and the results of pepper spray. During the pepper-spray course, Airmen learn by what mode to properly use the spray and then must navigate an obstacle course after being sprayed themselves.

by means of using the pepper spray upon Airmen, it not only provides them the understanding of in what way to react if they come by sprayed, but it also teaches by what means to maintain position until help arrives, the colonel said. Additionally, it suffers them understand the pain for a like reason they know to reserve it for situations that in truth call for that force.

"[It] felt like my face was upon fire. I kept trying to lay open my eyes, but they wouldn't make open all the way, and I had real limited vision," said Airman 1st Class Gordon Scott from Nellis Air Force Base, Nev "We have to hold fast our guard up and still function and not fall down."

At the extreme point of the training Airmen are lay in charge of a intermix replicating what they'll see while displayed They're tested on various scenarios to diocese how they'll react. This exercise allows the younger Airmen to lead and make decisions, and allows the trainers to diocese who excels and who might ne more training, said Army Capt. Joseph Sullivan, an on-looker controller trainer.

"This has definitely prepared me for going to Camp Bucca," said Senior Airman Jason Andrada with the 99th Security Forces Squadron from Nellis. "It will help shorten the time it will take to cope with my surroundings and do my piece of work correctly."

And adhering to their training is vital. Like thus many others around the Air Force, these Airmen are adapting to a of recent origin role. They must transfer their experience from guarding aircraft and airfields, to guarding individuals who could be responsible for killing others. This course prepares them for the unexpect that approachs along with this role.

COPYRIGHT 2006 U Air Force, Air Force of recent origins Agency

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