NNS020927-22 Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection Training Evolves Around New Technology
9/29/2002 12:35:00 AM
By Lt. j.g. Tamilee Thielke, Chief of Naval Education and Training Public Affairs
PENSACOLA, Fla. (NNS) -- At a time of heightened tensions and security, the Navy is making some bold changes in its training.
At the leading edge of the evolution is the Navy's Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection (AT/FP) training, which is implementing new programs and using the latest technology to prepare our Sailors for today's security challenges.
The Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection Warfare Development Center (ATFPWDC) in Norfolk, Va., in conjunction with the Navy's Type Commanders and Afloat Training Groups, and the Gamma Corporation has developed a number of AT/FP scenarios designed to teach and reinforce the decision making skills necessary for AT/FP security operation and the use of force.
The scenarios are presented on an interactive trainer and are comprised of filmed footage that orients the trainees to their location, general situation, force protection condition and any specific orders from their command.
"We want our Sailors and shipboard security teams to have an opportunity to go through the entire decision making process," said Combat Support Program Director Cmdr. Steve Dehart, at Chief of Naval Education and Training (CNET) headquarters in Pensacola, Fla. "With these scenarios, the Sailors are able to see a threat materialize. They see not only what happens when they make the right decision, but also what could happen if they make the wrong one."
Another advancement in AT/FP training revolves around the AT/FP trainer.
The trainers are comprised of twenty-foot military vans that have been assembled with shipboard hatches, ladders and handrails installed to emulate the confined spaces of a ship. "The AT/FP trainers help crews prepare for a possible security threat by teaching small unit tactics in a shipboard environment," said Dehart.
To further ensure shipboard crews have the best training possible, the Navy is implementing a new AT/FP Training Supervisor course. The course will provide shore and afloat units with the skills and knowledge they need to conduct day-to-day operations.
The course also prepares the AT/FP Training Supervisor to provide some of the current AT/FP training now conducted as formal courses at of instruction to unit personnel.
"In order to get basic AT/FP training, shipboard personnel were required to leave their ships and go to a school house," explained Dehart. "Now we want to train supervisors and send them to their ships to provide some of the necessary training. This will make the training more readily available and less disruptive to the ship's schedule."
With the departure of U.S. Marines providing security on Navy ships, the Sailors are filling security roles, and the Gunner's Mate rating is taking the lead. The Navy is sending Gunner's Mates to their ships more prepared than ever to be a major contributor in the AT/FP effort.
"We've incorporated FATS, the Firearms Training System, into our training to give our Sailors a chance to become familiar with their weapons in a safe environment. The weapons they train with are the same as those they'll use in the fleet, with the exception of firing low pressure carbon dioxide instead of live rounds," said CNET's AT/FP program manager, Lt. John Honea. "The emphasis has shifted from on-the-job-training to the 'A' schools for the Gunners Mates to learn their trade."
"The new training has made a profound effect on the student," said Dehart. "It gives them the ability to strengthen their skills. They feel more relaxed and confident. The final step is combining the weapons experience with the decision making process. The result is a better trained Sailor."
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
