We did the “active shooter training” at JB Andrews 2 weeks ago. They list the following responses: 1. Run away 2. Hide 3. Fight.
The briefer later in the presentation said, “this isn’t a priority list, you can use any of them depending on the circumstances”. That did very little to offset the list. I would prefer, “1. retrieve your weapon from your desk drawer and engage, because the Security Forces won’t get there till a lot of people are dead.”
I was very disappointed in the training, even though the SSgt was doing his best.
Colonel, USAFR
OR better yet, unholster your weapon and engage if required.
We did the “active shooter training” at JB Andrews 2 weeks ago. They list the following responses: 1. Run away 2. Hide 3. Fight.
I also cringe when I hear “active shooter”!
At least those options give some flexibility. Truth is you won’t know the circumstance and a default shelter in place is not the right answer most of the time and in fact is often the worst answer. Sometimes, maybe.
Shelter in place is really designed to protect the responding forces whose rules of engagement are usually exceptionally loose — way more generous than what our armed forces have to deal with.
Thanks for your service.
Just order fuel specialists, air frame techs. and the like to carry at all times. That will keep all threats and other personnel from bothering them (see going postal). Meanwhile, in the Army,...
“Private, leave your weapon with Sgt. So-and-So! That’s an order!” [While Private is away, Sgt. Politics—a lifer who intimately knows a major in HQ—hides the weapon. Private is later ordered to return to Sgt. Politics.] “Private, where’s your weapon? Come with me! You’re in deep ____!”
So much time. So much fun wearing all of that gear 24/7 while doing wonderful details like digging in.
Security should be near, and high speed. Maybe a policy change there would be good.
You have GOT to be kidding. Are you using sarcasm? Please say yes!!
So HQ USAF issued a study that took several years to complete, which proved there was a huge, glaring hole in air base defense, and all the AP/SPs and augmentees couldn't fill it, especially in the first few minutes. In fact, it was well known that for high priority EUCOM bases, Soviet Army units where given the mission to take out all assets as a precusor to overall combat. They would be led by Spetznatz trained officers, but didn't need Spetznatz troops because the Soviets didn't think unarmed airmen would be too much of a problem.
I believe Tom Clancy wrote about this in Red Storm Rising, where the war begins with Spetznatz forces infiltrating the Metro Tango facility at Hahn AB and kill everyone in the command post.
I worked USAFSS/ESC/AFIC in Europe. The joke we used to tell before the fall of the Warsaw Pact/Soviet Union was, "If we (in the SCIF) were dead, the war must have started."