Gunfire rang out signaling the beginning of a base exercise where nine people were gunned down via simulation using blank rounds by two volunteers acting as disgruntled Airmen during an exercise here July 26.
Initial reports let 482nd Security Forces Squadron Airmen know that the gunfire was heard in Building 346. A suspicious bag was also sighted.
The simulated shooting took place inside the Wing Training Building and first responders with the 482nd SFS were on scene within moments setting up a perimeter and systematically clearing the building looking for the shooters.
“(The first responders) did great,” said Senior Master Sgt. Manlio Bobadilla, a 482nd SFS superintendent and observer during the exercise. “However, there are always areas we can improve. Practice helps improve any deficiencies and will also pinpoint areas that require more training.”
The two gunmen were killed in the simulation and once the building was clear, the 482nd Explosive Ordnance Flight was called in to assess the bag that was supposedly left behind by the gunmen.
“The EOD found and successfully disrupted multiple pipe bombs dropped by the shooters,” said Master Sgt. Stephen Kaufman, the NCO in charge of training for the 482nd EOD Flight and Wing Inspection Team member. “The team was able to safely remove and disrupt the items with minimal damage to the surrounding area.”
To remove the package, the EOD team members used a Remotec F6A robot. The nearly $240,000 robot used a clamp-like arm to drag the bag out of the building and away from any wounded Airmen still inside. The Airmen controlling the robot use cameras attached to it that can point in nearly any direction to navigate.
Using the Wing Training Building was deliberate because of the challenges the structure itself caused.
“We chose the Wing Training Building because it’s one of the few buildings we have that is a multi-level structure,” said the 482nd Inspector General for Inspections office director. “The goal was to make the exercise challenging. That way, we are more prepared for real-world incidents.”
These exercises take place on regular basis to give Team Homestead members the opportunity to hone their skills.