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Antiterrorism training includes local law enforcement

  • Published
  • Joint Force Protection Team
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  In January, the Air Mobility Command Antiterrorism Level II Mobile Training Team visited Fairchild from the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center, Fort Dix, N.J., to provide 39 personnel with the required training to lead them on their way to becoming unit-level Antiterrorism Officers and antiterrorism advisors to their commanders.

As the antiterrorism program manager, Master Sgt. Michael Vance and his team travel to AMC bases every couple of months ensuring every installation is visited at least once every two years.

While there, they lead the five-day Level II course for as many as 40 students at a time. Course completion certifies the students to teach the Antiterrorism Level I course, fill a role on a threat working group and advise a commander with options in the event of a terrorist attack.

"This kind of training isn't just for security forces," Sergeant Vance explained. "One of our goals is to get all of our students, regardless of their job in the Air Force, to examine how they think about terrorism. Most of them have preconceived impressions that terrorism only happens to certain kinds of people at certain places.

"The truth is that terrorists will try to strike anywhere they can, so every Airman must be vigilant, whether they're stateside or overseas," he added.

This year, four local law enforcement personnel and analysts from Spokane County were invited to attend this training, and they provided briefings and commentary on matters in the local community that were relevant to the training. While this was not the first time the team had trained members outside of the military, this was the first time that they had so many in the same class.

"We are a harder target when we are a stronger force," commented Melissa Johnson, Joint Force Protection Team intelligence analyst.

The local personnel specifically mentioned how much they garnered from the class.

"It gave them a better understanding of what is a threat to the force protection of Fairchild, and they talked about how they would apply it to day-to-day operations," said Ms. Johnson. "This is just one more example of the outstanding support provided between Fairchild and the local law enforcement community."