WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio — As part of a new training initiative, the 445th Security Forces Squadron conducted an all-day practicum in partnership with the 178th Security Forces Squadron from Springfield Air National Guard Base, Ohio, during the Nov. 2, 2019 unit training assembly.
When deployed, Security Forces Defenders often work in composite teams with active duty, reserve and guard members from other squadrons, so training for that dynamic is critical to downrange mission success.
“Practice makes permanent, not perfect,” said Capt. Dustin M. Honious, commander, 445th SFS. “We have to practice how we want to fight and who we want to fight next to.”
In the field, equipment may malfunction, technology may fail, and plans may go awry. At the Warfighter Training Center, tools like smoke bombs and training munitions help create a realistic environment to practice tactical skills.
During the practicum, for example, the integrated teams were required to complete their mission without formal communication technology.
“Working together here and learning from one another here helps mitigate issues when it really counts,” Honious said.
The 30 Reserve Citizen Airmen and 20 Guardsmen participated in eight separate training events, including hand and arm signals, command and control, shoot/no shoot situations, building clearing/sweeping, muzzle discipline, bounding/small unit tactics, and combatives/weapons retention.
“We already train on these skills numerous times each year, but it was a pleasure to have the guard join us this time,” Honious added. “It adds a new level to the training, and in the end, it ultimately helps the Air Force.”