SFS baton training keeps Air Force, Army fresh, protected

Published Jan. 19, 2007
By SrA Amanda Mills
Public Affairs

Vance Air Force Base, Okla. -- "Get back! Get down!" echoed through the fitness center basketball court during 71st Security Forces Squadron tactical baton training Sept. 16 and 18.
Air Force and Army security forces members completed four hours of classroom training and four hours of hands-on training to satisfy their annual baton -- ASP to security forces members -- certification requirement.
Nineteen people certified Sept. 16 and 20 certified Sept. 18. The classroom training included lecture and discussion, followed by a written test and the hands-on training included the application of three opening techniques, two closing techniques, and six different strikes. All training culminates with actual use of force scenarios against the "Redman."
"(The baton) increases our use-of-force options," said TSgt Scott Henshaw, class instructor. "We could only talk to the person or use a gun, with not too much else in between. The ASP fills the gap between those two choices."
Training on the weapon keeps the knowledge fresh for security forces members, as well as protects them from legal issues if necessary. For instance, if called to testify, he or she can literally say they have used the ASP hundreds of times, Sergeant Henshaw said.
But the training is fun as well as educational.
"I like instructing the class as much as everyone likes participating," Sergeant Henshaw said. "The hands-on part is better than the classroom, and it always gets high reviews in course surveys. People feel more confident afterwards, and that they've accomplished something."
"The class showed me how to properly use the ASP, and I got a lot of practice deploying it over and over again," said SrA Jackie Koch. "Because of the class, I know I have the confidence to use it in a real world situation if I ever needed to.
"Once you got into it (using the baton), it was quite an adrenaline rush. It was definitely a fun way to take out your frustrations and relieve some stress! (I especially enjoyed) getting to physically assault my roommate legally. My roommate, SrA Erik Murray, was "Redman" and I got to go up against him during my training."