Civil Engineers prepare for deployment part III Published March 24, 2011 By Staff Sgt. Kimberly Hickey 934th Airlift Wing Public Affairs Fort McCoy, Wis. -- Editor's note: This is the third of four articles detailing the 934th Airlift Wing/Civil Engineering Squadron's mobilization training at Fort McCoy, Wis. in preparation for their deployment to Southwest Asia. According to the Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency, the Air Force established the Prime BEEF program in 1964, to organize the efforts of civil engineers to better respond to worldwide contingencies. The first Prime BEEF deployment went to San Isidro AB, Dominican Republic to support the airlift moving U.S. Army forces into the area in May of 1965. The Air Force also deployed dozens of separate teams to Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. Worldwide deployments of Prime BEEF units have provided invaluable services to the local populace in areas under threat, as well as to servicemembers serving in forward areas. They also assist civil engineers in maintaining competency in contingency operations. In preparation for future operations in Southwest Asia in 2011, Army instructors from the 181st Infantry Brigade began training Air Force engineers on base defense on Monday, Feb. 14. The engineers participated in classroom training on Self Air and Buddy Care and the mission of a Quick Reaction Force. According to the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center, a Quick Reaction Force is any force that is poised to respond on very short notice, typically less than fifteen minutes. Their main mission is security and reconnaissance. The size of the QRF depends on the threat; the greater the threat, the bigger the QRF. The engineers practiced responding to threats to base, FOB and COP security in small QRF teams at Fort McCoy during a simulated mortar attack. The engineers also learned how to prevent unauthorized access to their locations at entry-control points and maintain perimeter security while assigned to observation posts around Contingency Operating Location Freedom. Cultural role players attempted to access COL Freedom during the training day, and the engineers practiced their new skills in verifying identification, as well as conducting personnel and automobile searches. Short-range marksmanship training began on Wednesday, Feb. 15. The engineers learned that the positive identification of targets is essential before firing to ensure mission success and to prevent collateral damage. Positive identification also includes recognizing a hostile threat and intent. Following the rules of engagement specific to each location is also imperative. "Whenever we fire a weapon, someone is watching," said Army Staff Sgt. William Schierloh, an installation training coordinator with the 181st Infantry Brigade at Fort McCoy. "Just because someone has a weapon doesn't mean they're hostile." According to the Army Times, the new short range marksmanship course trains participants on the latest techniques for surviving skirmishes in urban warfare, as shooting at fixed targets from a distance is proving to have little relevance to combat conditions in Southwest Asia. Shooting on-the-move is a more likely scenario as the fight is waged from behind walls, inside homes and on rooftops. The engineers practiced three marksmanship methods while on the range: slow aim fire, rapid aim fire and instinctive fire, followed by walk-and-shoot scenarios. Airmen without previous experience with short-range marksmanship can have advantages during the training process. "They don't have any preconceived notions, even if they have done this before. They pay attention, and they execute well," said Schierloh. The engineers practiced 'shoot/don't shoot' scenarios using an electronic simulator that requiring assessment of when deadly force is necessary in a given situation on Thursday, Feb. 16. The engineers recognized the importance of weapons training to prepare them for their mission. "I think the weapons training is probably the most valuable," said Senior Master Sgt. William G. Kelly, an infrastructure systems superintendant, 452nd CES, March Air Reserve Base. "At home station, we don't carry weapons," said Tech. Sgt. Dennis R. King, an HVAC specialist, 403rd CES, Keesler AFB. "So having our M4s and our 9mms with us all the time, we actually get to fire them quite often. I feel a lot more comfortable with my weapon than I have."