SFS Airmen shoot, move, communicate Published June 24, 2013 By Staff Sgt. Andrew McLaughlin 434th ARW Public Affairs GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. -- Whether at Grissom or deployed overseas, security forces need to be ready to respond at a moment's notice. And, to keep their skills sharp, the 434th Security Forces Squadron conducted weapons and tactics training here recently. During this training, security forces members charged with keeping Airmen and aircraft safe focused on tactical movement and transition drills using M-4 rifles and M-9 pistols to practice changing from a primary to secondary weapon quickly and effectively in response to threats, said Staff Sgt. James Marshall, 434th SFS fire team member. "The purpose is to get it down to muscle memory," elaborated Marshall. Muscle memory is a form of procedural memory, which involves repeating a specific motor task over time so that task becomes second nature and can be performed with little or no conscious effort. Tech. Sgt. Alexander Harris, 434th SFS squad leader, said such training prepares them to respond to real-world situations that are often unpredictable and evolve quickly. "It prepares troops to be able to handle themselves in any situation, such as an active shooter," continued Harris. "It's about utilizing all the tools on you so you don't just freeze," said Tech. Sgt. Jarred Gentile, 434th SFS squad leader. "It helps you stay in the action." Not only does the training keep security forces Airmen in the fight, it also gives them common ground with their fellow Airmen around the world as it's part of an Air Force-wide program to standardize tactics used by all security forces members. "It get's everyone in the Air Force on the same page with handling weapons," explained Marshall, who added that is especially important when Airmen from different units come together for an exercise or deployment. And as the training ended, the 434th SFS Airmen not only holstered their weapons, but put away the knowledge that may one day save lives. The 434th SFS is part of the 434th Air Refueling Wing, the largest KC-135R Stratotanker unit in the Air Force Reserve Command. 434th ARW Airmen routinely deploy around the world in support of the Air Force mission and U.S. strategic objectives. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter.
