Exercise keeps Holloman responders ready

Published May 4, 2012
By Airman 1st Class Siuta B. Ika
49th Wing Public Affairs

HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- The sound of blank rounds being fired between Holloman AFB defenders and two simulated gunmen filled two different 49th Materiel Maintenance Squadron facilities during an active shooter and barricaded-suspect exercise May 3.

Just minutes before responders from the 49th Security Forces Squadron arrived to the first crime scene at the 49th MMG compound, the base had initiated lock-down procedures after a "shots fired" report went out over Holloman AFB's radio frequencies.

"When we got the call, we immediately responded to the scene," said Airman 1st Class Trevor Lesmaster, a member of the 49th SFS first response team. "For me, I didn't even think twice. For the team as well, we just jumped into the truck and left. When we got to and entered the scene, we saw the gunman had severely wounded a couple of people, so we knew we had to find and stop him as quickly as we could."

Even though the 49th SFS Airmen constantly train to defend the base under any circumstance, the scope of the exercise was something some members have never experienced, Lesmaster said.

"We've done training in the past in buildings a lot smaller, but never in a warehouse like that," he said. "There were so many places to hide there, it was kind of nerve wracking, but we had to get over that fast. We did a great job of responding. It only took 15 minutes from our response to the actual neutralization of the shooter."

The responders' next step after neutralizing the shooter was to aid the Airmen who had simulated gunshot wounds.

"After we stopped the gunman, we checked his vitals to make sure he was not responsive," Lesmaster said. "After that, we did another sweep of the building to make sure there weren't any other shooters in the building. Then we were able to assess the victims' conditions. We did what we could for them and stayed by their side until the medics arrived on the scene to treat them further."

Although the active shooter at the first crime scene was neutralized, another gunman had fled from the scene, took three hostages, and barricaded himself in a different facility.

"When security forces was notified of the active shooter, we were immediately placed on standby in case the situation turned into a barricaded suspect or hostage rescue situation," said Staff Sgt. Joseph Sapikowski, 49th SFS special reaction team NCO in charge. "So when that gunman went to the other building, the SRT was activated to rescue the hostages and eliminate the threat, and we did that. This is proof that we can operate cohesively under the stress of the environment to accomplish what we need to."

Exercises like these are conducted annually to ensure all of Team Holloman knows what to do should either event happen on the installation, said Wayne Paddock, 49th Wing exercise evaluation team chief.

"Something like this could happen at any time," he said. "We, as a base, need to know how to respond in the event that either scenario were to take place here, because the threat is out there. That's why we do this, to make sure everybody - military, civilians and dependents - knows what actions and precautions they need to take."

These exercises, Paddock said, teach something that can't be replicated in a classroom.

"This is hands-on training at its best," he said. "You can only learn so much from a briefing or slideshow, so it's important to physically practice what to do. It's also the only way to really gain that situational awareness that comes from repetition."

Overall, both of the exercise situations will ultimately help Holloman AFB's future command and control over events like these.

"It's important that we all take this seriously, because if a situation like this really does happen, the gunman won't be using blanks," Paddock said. "We would then have to see how fast we could stop the situation and protect the public at the same time. And I feel pretty good about our ability to do that."

To see a complete photo slideshow of the active shooter exercise, click here.