Parading in a circle just within the Llewellyn Avenue gate, 20 men and women carried signs while chanting, "We want peace. No more war."

It was almost 1:30 p.m., the time agreed upon by the group's leader to end the anti-war demonstration on Sept. 17. Speaking into a megaphone, Sgt. Roy Parker of the 241st Military Police Detachment reminded protesters of the approaching deadline and demanded they leave or risk arrest.

"We won't leave until we get what we want," shouted the protesters' leader, a petite woman in jeans.

That was the last civil exchange between the two groups. An MP civil disturbance platoon carrying batons and body shields moved in tight formation toward the demonstrators, followed by a squad of riflemen. In an instant, the peaceniks pelted MPs with water balloons and plastic buckets and snatched batons and shields.

MPs chased down several protesters, throwing them to the ground before holding them down to handcuff them -- all of which brought a smile to Capt. Margie Brown. Commander of the 241st MP Detachment, Brown watched the "riot" unfold from the sidelines.

The mock disturbance was part of Fort Meade's annual Force Protection Exercise that was held Sept. 15 to 17 and included a simulated drug raid and hostage negotiation.

"Normally, we train at Fort A.P. Hill in Virginia, but we're trying to gear it more to what we do every day and work more with our assets here on Fort Meade -- the fire department, civilian police, Emergency Medical Services," Brown said. "The overall intent is for the safety and security of Fort Meade. You never know what might happen. So we try to train on what could happen on the installation and be prepared."

Earlier that morning, Brown briefed volunteer protesters from the garrison's Headquarters and Headquarters Company and Defense Information School. "I worked with them to make the platoon escalate their level of force," Brown said. "The more hostile they get, the more that the civil disturbance platoon would escalate their level of force. I said, 'On my cue, I want you to do this.' [Otherwise,] role players could go too fast. You want it to linger so you get the training effect you want."

Brown even supplied the balloons. "Initially, I was a little apprehensive with it getting too rough," she said. "But once I realized they didn't mind, I let them roll with it because that gives my group more training on their equipment. You can't use the equipment unless demonstrators come at you. I guarantee that it was an eye-opener [for MPs] at how easy it is to lose equipment."

While Brown briefed role players, Sgt. 1st Class Jermaine Hallums worked with MPs on civil disturbance procedures. "I thought it went very well," Hallums said. "We always put out rules of engagement, which define limits of how aggressive we'll get. We want to keep it as realistic as possible, but always consider safety, how far we will push things."

For the exercise, Brown selected HHC Staff Sgt. Mary Robinson as leader of the protesters. "I picked the agitator to be the bold one," Brown said. "But in the heat of the moment, they all wanted to do it. I stayed on the side and watched the safety aspect. I would have stopped it had it gone too far or became too much of a risk."

An HHC supply sergeant, Robinson honed her acting skills as a role player throughout the week. "It was fun," she said. "This is the second time I was arrested. Tuesday, I was a crack mom. Wednesday, I was a hostage. Today, I am a ringleader. It's a good exercise, something different. It takes you out of your regular job."

In addition to the physical confrontations, several demonstrators taunted the formation with their own batons. "Go home, pig," one protester, Sgt. John Campbell, with garrison HHC, shouted repeatedly.

Because of time constraints, the MPs resorted to nonlethal force and shot several demonstrators with paint balls until the remaining protesters were either apprehended or headed off the installation. "Normally, we would quell a demonstration all day long," Parker said. "But we decided to escalate the force as quickly as possible to move the situation along."

Throughout the 90-minute exercise, the MPs maintained their cool and tight formation.

"We're there to control the situation and not let it get out of control," MP Sgt. Anthony Santos said.

During the After Action Review, needed improvements were addressed. "Training on equipment went better than expected, but there are little gaps and holes we need to work out," Brown said.

Hallums said losing equipment to rioters is typical. "We brought extra equipment because we knew we would give up shields," he said at the AAR. But there are a lot of nonlethal assets we could use, just so you shouldn't think it's that easy."

MPs also offered kudos to the volunteer demonstrators who kept in character throughout the exercise.

"I loved it," said MP Staff Sgt. Paul Adams, who apprehended two protesters. "It was a good training exercise, something we don't practice every day."

But HHC volunteers dismissed their treatment as well as the indignities.

"I had a great time," said Pfc. Nicholas Chestnut, who was thrown down. "I got some scratches, but that's all part of the training."

Campbell was hoarse after all his shouting at MPs and demands for peace. "I tried to give it all I got," he said. "It was something to help these guys out, and it also gives us a different outlook on what they go through and gives us the opportunity to train for any terrorist situation. This helps us to work as a team. We try to make it real for them."