90th SFG trains to counter active shooters

by Airman 1st Class Jason Wiese
90th Missile Wing Public Affairs

9/24/2013 - F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. -- The recent Washington Navy Yard Shooting made Americans worried once again about the threat of active shooters. Events like the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, the Aurora theater shooting and Sikh temple shooting, all of which occurred just last year, prove time and time again the need for well-trained law enforcement officials who can stop active shooters and save lives.

F.E. Warren Air Force Base has in its ranks defenders who train to respond to that kind of situation.

Airmen from across the 90th Security Forces Group received training Sept. 19 from 90th Security Support Squadron training instructors and the 90th SFG Tactical Response Force in the TRF shoothouse to counter an active-shooter threat.

People hear about active-shooter situations all the time, and they are something the 90th SFG takes very seriously, said Staff Sgt. Nathaniel Giblin, 90th SSPTS training instructor.

Ninetieth SFG defenders train in many aspects of law enforcement, but given the current social climate, perhaps some of the most important training is in defending the base populous against an active shooter, Giblin said.

Security forces Airmen took turns going through training scenarios learning the proper way to enter potentially dangerous areas and counter threats while remaining cool under pressure.

Since real-world active shooter scenarios are tense and emotional, it may be hard for first responders to react appropriately without training, Giblin said. This is the main reason for the training: it allows first responders to rely on training during a time when their decision-making capabilities may be compromised.

The need for modern tacitcs arose after those used by law enforcement officials during the Columbine High School shooting of 1999, tactics that were standard for law enforcement at the time, failed to prevent the murder of 12 people, Giblin said. The tactics used now are designed to reduce the threat to people targeted by active shooters.

There has been a large training push within the Air Force to coordinate training with outside law enforcement agencies such as local police and the FBI, including training to deal with active shooters; in a real active-shooter scenario, several law enforcement agencies would get involved, Giblin said.

It helps the intermingling of defenders with other agencies, said Staff Sgt. Glen Brott, 90th SFG TRF.

Airman 1st Class Nicholas Diamond, 90th Missile Security Forces Squadron, was one of dozens of defenders who participated in the Sept. 19 training.

"It was really good training," he said. "The training we got here we can also take out to the field with us."

Airmen in the TRF would be the main, SWAT-like response to active shooters on base, but it would take time for them to arrive on-scene, Brott said. All defenders on base are trained to handle active-shooter situations because non-TRF security forces personnel are more likely to be the first responders on scene.

"Everyone is conducting the training to get better together," Giblin said. "It boosts confidence."

In an active-shooter situation, confidence in their training can mean the difference between life and death for the defenders, Giblin said.

"It's like a boxer," Brott said. "If he goes into the match feeling confident, he is much more likely to win."