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736th Security Forces trade ideas on air base security

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Derrick Spencer
  • 36th WG/Public Affairs
3/25/2010 - ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam - Members from the 736th Security Forces hosted visitors from four foreign nations as part of the 13th Subject Matter Expert Exchange. Papa New Guinea, Mongolia, India and the Philippines were among the nations represented to exchange ideas on security matters pertaining to world-wide air base defense.

"It's really a great opportunity to be here in Guam to know how the U.S Air Force does their training, and to share that experience with them," said Cmdr. Nrip Kumar Mehta, Western Air Command, New Delhi. "More or less broadly we are similar, but it is a great opportunity to learn new things about the U.S. military."

The visitors' toured sections of the security forces compound as Andersen Airmen showed how U.S. forces train with simulation modules and field exercises. The visitors experienced a HUMVEE rollover simulator, an M-4 rifle range simulator and witnessed a terrorist ambush exercise at the Andersen South training grounds.

All of the participants regardless of their respective nation performed well when they shot simulated munitions rounds at a variety of targets.

"The dummy cartridges are a new thing for us," said Commander Mehta. "It really gives you a realistic picture on how the technical training portion is important, and how effective training is."

The visitors witnessed the procedures Andersen Airmen would use to retrieve an injured Airman during a terrorist ambush. Ground burst simulators rung the ears of the visitors as they observed the similarities between their own close quarter battle techniques and those used by the U.S.

"The live demonstration of the ambush is better," said Col. Chuluun Battulga, Senior Officer, from Mongolia's Foreign Cooperation Directorate. "I think it's better to practice soldiers for the real combat situations, and this is almost same as a combat situation."

The Subject Matter Expert Program gives nations across the world access to the different techniques and strategies applicable during times of war. Most countries have one goal in mind, the protection and defense of their nation. Although the foreign representatives traveled to Guam to see how the U.S. Air Force handles its mission, the feedback and idea sharing on air base security was mutual and beneficial.

"Mongolia is trying to make better training for our Airmen, but we have to do many things" said Colonel Battulga. "It gives a lot of new ideas for [Mongolia] to learn from."