Monday, March 26, 2001

Story and photos by Richelle Turner Collins, Würzburg bureau

Mock protesters stand in front of Ledward Barracks in Schweinfurt Saturday.

SCHWEINFURT, Germany — A steady downpour soaked a group of mock protesters as they yelled "Yankees go home" and threw paper in front of Ledward Barracks here on Friday.

The protesters were part of a force-protection exercise in the Schweinfurt military community that involved about 100 soldiers from various Army units testing their response to bomb scenarios, a hostage crisis, fires and protests.

"We want the military police, fire department and medical [staff] to know how to respond when mass casualty incidents happen," said Maj. Kevin Lancaster, who helped plan the forced protection exercise.

The exercise began in the morning with a fake bomb appearing at the Schweinfurt military post office on Ledward Barracks. Soldiers were called to clear the area and disarm the bomb.

Next, soldiers were asked to respond to reports of a hostage crisis. And by midafternoon, soldiers had to respond to the protest at the front gate.

The protest began friendly, with a group of people wielding signs that said things like "No Americans." But then the protesters blocked traffic onto the main gate of the base. Security responded by closing the front gate. When protestors appeared as if they would climb the gate, soldiers from 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry were called in to secure the area.

The soldiers came running to the gate in full military gear and with weapons.

Mock protesters stop traffic Friday in front of Ledward Barracks in Schweinfurt.

A group of German students walked by as all this was happening and appeared a bit confused. They couldn’t understand why a group of Americans were protesting the American soldiers. They even tried to convince the Americans that the soldiers weren’t bad.

At one point a young female walked to the front gate and told the soldiers she was on their side. "We love you," the girl yelled in English.

Al Oblong, who was a protester during the exercise, works as the community sports and fitness director. He volunteered to stand in the rain and yell taunts.

"It was interesting," Oblong said. "It kind of gives you an idea of what these guys are up against."

Oblong was the loudest protester. He would yell things like "Yankees go home" and then jokingly follow it up with "Go Mariners." He said what he liked most during the exercise is that the German passersby were pro-American.

While the protesters were outside the gate and armed soldiers stood guard on the other side, military police were called in to make sure no civilians were hurt in the ruckus.

Security guards close the front gate of Ledward Barracks Friday to stop mock protesters from entering the base.

Military policeman Staff Sgt. Phillip Cape, assigned to the 280th Base Support Battalion Provost Marshal’s Office, was mainly a spectator to the organized chaos. He simply stood by to make sure nothing got out of hand.

Cape said what he learned during this exercise is that success takes cooperation between the different directorates. Military police, infantry soldiers, Criminal Investigation Division, U.S. Army Fire Department, Schweinfurt postal employees and Schweinfurt clinic workers all joined in the exercise. The local national volunteer fire department and ambulance workers also participated.

Part of the Immediate Ready Force also was used during the exercise to show how quickly they can protect an area. The IRF is a quick response force that provides Army assistance wherever needed.

Cape has been a soldier for 15 years and says he learns something during each exercise.

"That’s why we have to come out here and do these exercises," he said.

On Saturday, the soldiers learned more with a mass casualty exercise. Multiple bomb blasts caused several mock casualties.

Soldiers sharpened first-aid and triage skills and military police practiced controlling traffic and the flow of people in this exercise.

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