BAUMHOLDER, Germany -- Airmen from the 446th Security Forces Squadron at McChord Field, Washington, travelled to Ramstein Air Base, Germany, July 12, to role-play in pre-deployment exercises.
Reservists took on the roles of local villagers, refugees and terrorists in scenarios designed to prepare Airman for the rigors of deployment.
"We're facilitating the unit here with aggressors," said Master Sgt. Carlos Duell, 446th SFS annual tour team leader. "These are scenarios that help them train for what they're going to do any place they go down range. It's the opportunity to touch, feel, interact, and role play. We train how we fight."
At the same time they helped Airmen practice combat skills, reservists also learned how to think like the enemy.
"You have to get in the mind set of what the aggressor would do," said Senior Airman Delano Andres, 446th SFS fire team member. "So if your job is to break into the flightline or break into the fence of the base, you have to think about what would be the best way of doing that without being caught."
"It's a great opportunity for us to be here," Duell said. "As they are doing the scenarios, we're asking Airmen, 'If you're on the other side of this, what are you supposed to be doing?'"
This way, reservists learn too, he said. It jogs their memories. It's the practical application of all the things they learned in tech school.
"A lot of the young Airmen are picking the instructors here for information," Duell said. "Some of these cadre here have been to numerous places. It's an opportunity for these young Airmen and junior NCOs to talk to people who've been down range to places they haven't."
USAF. (U.S. Air Force Graphic by Rosario "Charo" Gutierrez)