Special Reaction Teams

On Wednesday, August 19, I had the opportunity to observe some Military Police training at Fort Leonard Wood. I reported at 0730 (that’s 7:30 am, folks) to Parker Hall. The location was described to me as “oh, it’s right there, you can’t miss it!”

Well, I missed it. Luckily I came well-equipped with sufficient technology to find my way. I was greeted by SGT Davis, who is working on certification to become a Special Reaction Teams (SRT) Instructor. I also met Mr. Mike Terry, USAMPS Special Tactics Training Division.
I was briefed on what my day would entail, allowed to lift up the 40 lbs of body armor I’ll wear next week (“it’s really quite comfortable”), and sent on my way alongside SGT Davis.

After a quick stop at the Shopette (“you’ll really want to keep hydrated unless you’re used to sweating all day”), we drove to the shothouse where the SRTs, train.
SRTs are like the SWAT team of the MPs. They respond when regular law enforcement cannot: hostage situations, response to terrorist incidents, and other threats. Phase I of this training is ten days long (very long, like 3 weeks packed into 10 days long) and teaches the guys various things, like how to plan for entering a building, how to actually enter the building, how to clear a building. They get to use various explosive devices for breaching doors and learn how to move and work as a team.

Their motto is “Speed, Surprise and Aggressive Action.” Meaning, when they go into a situation, they need to do it quickly. These aren’t routine traffic stops! They also need to be able to maintain the element of surprise to do their tasks effectively. They learn how to get the surprise back if the “bad guys” know that they’re coming. Finally, everything they do must be done with Aggressive Action. No beating around the bush here!

One thing I found to be reassuring was the ratio of instructors to students. In the group that I observed, there were five students and two instructors. Each Soldier was able to practice each skill multiple times and receive individualized feedback each time. These guys train for competence, not completion. They don’t go home when the clock strikes five; if they don’t ‘get it’, they stay until they do.

As I observed the training, I heard an instructor ask a Soldier, “Are you nervous?”
I tried to put myself in their shoes (or boots). How would I react? Would I be nervous? I decided that I could handle going through the motions in training, receiving instruction and modifying my actions accordingly, but if I were in an actual, real-life situation, I don’t know if I would be able to keep my cool.

Imagine you get a call that you need to go take care of a situation. You get with your team and make a plan and you go into this building. But this isn’t a test. It’s real. There’s a person in there that is a threat to your life and to other people. Maybe they have a hostage. Maybe they’re hiding behind the door, or in a closet, or anywhere. You don’t know where they are, who they are, or how many of them there are. It’s dark. You can’t exactly use a flashlight and issue the standard “Hello? Anybody home?” line. How do you fish through your head for logic when there’s so much adrenaline clouding your thoughts?

I asked SGT Davis if they teach any type of mental preparation for “keeping their cool.” Evidently there’s something called Combat Lamaze. Now, if you’re like me, the only association you have with the word Lamaze has to do with pregnant women and babies. The combination of the words ‘combat’ and ‘Lamaze’ seemed so odd. But, he explained it as a simple breathing exercise that can help control your heart rate. By the time they get to SRT, they’ve already learned the concept. Imagine that. Combat Lamaze.

Another resource, Mr. Langley told me, is a book called On Killing by Dave Grossman. Mr. Langley is an SRT instructor. He suggests that this book should be required reading for any law enforcement official. The closest thing I’ve ever read to On Killing would be To Kill a Mockingbird, and I don’t think that compares. The title did, however, pique my interest. As it turns out, the book discusses the psychology behind killing, including humans’ natural reluctance to kill their own kind, the various ways in which they are trained to overcome that reluctance, and the effect it has on post traumatic stress disorders among veterans and the implications it has on other phenomena in our society and abroad. Wow. These guys think of everything. Now I think I might actually head down to the library to check it out.