Soldiers alleviate hostile threat during training mission

Members of Fort Rucker's Special Reaction Team, outfitted in black body armor, engaged a hostile force hiding out in a home in the post's Bowden Terrace housing area here Jan. 25. During the exercise, the team entered the home and successfully apprehended three suspects, saving the post from potential harm.

The SRT is comprised of military policemen from community and traffic police, and sometimes K-9s from the military working dog section.

The group undergoes regular, week-long training every month and is evaluated during an internal exercise that concludes the training, according to Master Sgt. Jeffrey Mortensen, provost sergeant.

Friday's quarterly exercise was evaluated by the Directorate of Public Safety Director and Provost Marshal Lt. Col. David Lewis.

"This quarterly training is an external evaluation of the team and their ability to respond to a hostile situation," Lewis said.

The exercise began when the team received a domestic dispute call in which a husband had taken his wife hostage and barricaded them both inside the home. The team suited up and began planning their method of approach while snipers secretly planted themselves around the premises.

The team was evaluated on several things such as recall procedures, rehearsal and the execution of a hostage-rescue mission, said Staff Sgt. Britt Boyer, SRT NCOIC.

"The situation was that the wife was taken hostage, but upon entry, the hostage became an aggressor and attempted to shoot the team members," he said.

Once the suspects were taken into custody, the team searched the house for any others, and anything suspicious.

"The team did an excellent job today," said Boyer. "Everything went really smoothly."

Mortensen said the team did a good job of hitting the targets accurately. Lewis commended the team on their work.

"They did really well today - much better than the last exercise," Lewis said.

Team hopefuls must endure a physically- and mentally-demanding, one-week tryout that involves physical training, mental and memory tests before they are selected for the SRT, Boyer said.