DENVER (3/5/11) – The Colorado Army National Guard’s 3650th Maintenance Company received training on the use of Oleoresin Capsicum spray during its drill March 5.
The training is in preparation of the unit taking responsibility of the National Guard Reaction Force mission from the 220th Military Police Company.
Because the 3650th is a maintenance company, it may not be what many people envision when people think of this type of mission.
“I think it’s an honor to be chosen to do this because it gets back to our roots of the original state militias that were there to support citizens – and drawn from citizens,” said 1st Lt. Michael Mensch, 3650th commander. As the saying goes, “Soldier first, specialty second.”
3650th Soldiers weren’t the only ones receiving training that day. Army Pfc. Miguel Perez, a heavy equipment operator with Detachment 1, 947th Engineer Company, among others, will also help accomplish NGRF mission.
OC is a lachrymatory agent (a chemical compound that irritates the eyes, causing tears, pain – and even temporary blindness) that is used in riot control, crowd control and personal self-defense.
As part of the training, after being sprayed, each Soldier walked through a series of obstacles including bringing a man to the ground, keeping a rioter and crowd back with a baton, self-defense with a baton and identifying a color. All of these tasks required the Soldiers to have their eyes open. Only after completing all five tasks could each Soldier go to the decontamination station to find relief in a tray of soapy water and a fan.
Army Staff Sgt. Eric Rerucha, a wheeled vehicle mechanic with the 3650th, said that the company received training that morning on what to do and what not to do when sprayed.
The NGRF’s mission is to “provide a military force that can lend support to local agencies during times of crisis,” said Army Staff Sgt. Eloy Silva, a squad leader with the 220th. He clarified by saying that the NGRF is one of the governor’s resources for riots, blizzards, natural disasters and the like, when civil authorities need the Guard’s assistance to enhance security.
The NGRF has lent assistance following Hurricane Katrina and the earthquake in Haiti, and provided security during the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver.