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News | June 9, 2016

Regional Security Services receive real world training during Tradewinds 2016

By Spc. Anna Pongo 111th Public Affairs Detachment

Members of the Regional Security Services participated in a field training exercise during Tradewinds 2016 on June 9, near Grand Mal, Grenada. The field training exercise, or FTX, focused on training to counter transnational organized crime.

The scenario emphasized the capability and speed to activate the 911 system in Grenada. This included emergency services such as the police, firefighters and medical personnel.

This FTX was one of the scenarios for Tradewinds 2016, which is a joint combined exercise conducted in conjunction with allied and partner nations to enhance the collective abilities of defense forces and constabularies to counter transnational organized crime and to conduct humanitarian/disaster relief operations.

“We wanted to conduct operations to counter illicit traffic by improving partner nation’s capabilities,” said Lt. Col. Derwin Brayboy, the operations officer for the west division of Tradewinds 2016.

Some of the partner nations involved in this FTX were Grenada, France, Canada, Barbados and the United States.

The training scenario began when the Black Mambas, a setting-based criminal organization, breached a fuel farm and set up improvised explosive devices, which started various fires and explosions.

A number of designated role players portrayed casualties from the scenario at the fuel farm. Jade Roberts, a recruit from the Grenadian Police Training School, was a “casualty.”

“It’s good to be alert and ready,” said Roberts. “You never know when a threat may come up and you need to have an idea of what to do.”

Tradewinds officials used this exercise as a way to prepare the Regional Security Services members for the exercise’s big culminating event.

“This is important because it is real-world training,” Brayboy. “The partner nation building and the ability to test activating the 911 system were a couple of the most important things we are getting out of this.”

Overall, the RSS members learned a lot from the training exercise and were happy to work together as a team.

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