An armed "suspect" waits to ambush two Marine military policeman during training in the old Sada Housing on Camp Foster Tuesday. (Fred Zimmerman / S&S)
An armed "suspect" waits to ambush two Marine military policeman during training in the old Sada Housing on Camp Foster Tuesday. (Fred Zimmerman / S&S)
A Marine MP keeps his weapon on an armed suspect who fired on him during Tuesday's training in the old Sada Housing. (Fred Zimmerman / S&S)
Marine military policemen "apprehend" a suspect in the old Sada Housing area during training on Tuesday. (Fred Zimmerman / S&S)
CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa — Military policemen here were busy Tuesday responding to numerous calls, the worst resulting in shots being fired at MPs as they entered a house.
While the shots fired didn’t tear into flesh and critically wound or kill anyone, they did leave some bruises that will help the MPs remember what they did right or wrong. The bullets were bright, liquid-filled rounds called simunition rounds that can be fired out of converted 9 mm pistols and M-4 rifles.
More than 60 MPs spent the day in the old Sada Housing area practicing “basic entries,” according to Gunnery Sgt. Joseph Starzy, training staff noncommissioned officer in charge. Eight empty houses that are waiting to be torn down were used for the scenarios, which ranged from domestic violence situations to noise complaints, from fighting neighbors to “I’m not going to be taken alive.” Proper room-clearing techniques also were covered.
“We watch how the MPs react … do they separate the individuals and de-escalate the situation, or does the situation get worse,” Starzy said. If the MPs didn’t respond properly, Starzy said, the role players would take it to the next level to see how the responders would react.
At each situation, the officers were analyzed by a monitor and then were briefed on what they did right or wrong once the call was made to stop the scenario.
“As basic MPs who respond to situations every day, they have to be prepared,” said Staff Sgt. Steven Rowe, Special Reaction Team commander.
“We’re teaching the basics of clearing a room because these guys go into buildings every day. We’re also trying to teach them that they don’t always have to shoot.”
For one Marine who has been an MP for just more than a year, dealing with the role players was a reminder of some actual calls. Lance Cpl. Anthony Johnston said there were several scenarios that made him think, “Yeah, I’ve had people act exactly like that.”
“This was a lot of fun … a big adrenaline rush,” Johnston said. “It’s good (to train with the simunition rounds) because it makes it more realistic.” Johnston was hit with one of the rounds on his arm, just above his elbow, leaving a small bruise.
“It didn’t hurt at first, but it stung after about five minutes,” he said. “This is good stuff … the best training I’ve had so far.”
