The following photos are from March and February of this year and were taken at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. The first four photos from March depict riot control training for a “domestic quick reaction force” that would aid in civil disturbances. The second set of photos from February depict the 67th Military Police Company that typically mans the area’s Regional Correctional Facility attempting to quell riots among “restless prison inmates” that have created a disturbance. The photos are similar to a collection from May 2010 that depict several National Guard units from different parts of the U.S. quelling protesters in mock communities holding signs that say “Food Now”. A description of one of the events was posted to Facebook by the U.S. Army’s 5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment:
The Soldiers in a closed formation bang their batons in cadence against their shields as an angry mob approaches.
“When I initially picked up my shield, the thought of the movie 300 was the first thing that came to mind,” said Spc. Kyle Wilhelmi.
Teams of Soldiers assigned to 3rd Squadron, 38th Cavalry Regiment, 201st Battlefield Surveillance Brigade conducted civil disturbance training here March 13. The Soldiers, though not quite Spartans, are effectively training to hold their line and successfully control crowds if called upon for a civil disturbance.
Soldiers with shields, batons and rifles pushed through and maintained a dominant stance against a mob of about 40 civilians. The riot escalated as the crowd began throwing snowballs, slurred profanity and made offensive gestures at the Soldiers. The more forceful members of the mob charged the Soldiers but were easily pushed back, as many often fell to the icy surface.
The overall goal of riot control group (RCG) is to control the crowd using less than lethal force.
Soldiers with the 67th Military Police Company grab hold of a soldier playing the role of a restless prison inmate who has been injured on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., Feb. 16 while practicing riot control drills during a culmination exercise that concluded a week of training for the soldiers. The company’s leadership was grateful for the opportunity to train a small group of its soldiers, as their sole mission, typically, is to man the installation’s Regional Correctional Facility.
Spc. Taylor Davis (center right) grabs hold of a soldier playing the role of a restless prison inmate on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., Feb. 16 as he and fellow soldiers from the 67th Military Police Company practice riot control drills during a culmination exercise that concluded a week of training for the soldiers. The company’s leadership was grateful for the opportunity to train a small group of its soldiers, as their sole mission, typically, is to man the installation’s Regional Correctional Facility.
