When it comes to security forces “we need to understand our limitations and to act cooperatively,” said Kelly, a distinguished visitor of the Air Force Security Forces Center who spent the past 10 days in the United States. “We’re not seeking to replicate (what the U.S. Air Force security forces do), but to learn and adapt to the Australian environment.”
Sometimes, Kelly said, there’s a barrier that prevents cooperation.
“We are separated by a common language called English,” Kelly joked.
Lt. Col. Jeffrey Westphal, AFSFC director of staff at JBSA-Lackland, hosted Kelly during his stay in San Antonio.
“We’re looking to build a strategic partnership and build cooperation with security forces,” Westphal said. “This is the first step in an ongoing and recurring relationship.”
The next step in that relationship, Westphal said, is a visit at the end of March from RAAF Wing Commander Andrew McHugh, commanding officer of the RAAF Security and Fire School, for in-depth training discussions.
On March 15, Kelly observed security forces at work during a domestics training exercise at the Lackland Medina Training Annex and visited the Department of Defense Military Working Dog School.
Staff Sgt. Kevin Avery conducted the domestics training exercise. Airman Basic Bartholomus Corley and Airman 1st Class Garciela Correa acted a scenario of a couple living on base fighting after Corley became drunk and started becoming physically and verbally abusive. A knife was introduced into the scenario.
The main objective of the exercise is to restore order and protect lives, Avery said. After the scenario, Avery further instructed the Airmen on defusing a domestic violence situation.
“The initial dispatch said a knife was involved, so we have to think about that,” Avery told the Airmen. “We already know a weapon is involved, so we have to remove it from the situation.”
During the exercise, Kelly noted there was a major difference.
“We don’t have married quarters on base,” said Kelly, who’s stationed at RAAF headquarters in Canberra.
If a domestic dispute involved or were to involve RAAF Airmen, it would be more of a civil policing function, Kelly said.
Kelly and Westphal later traveled to the MWD school to watch Jaye, a black Labrador retriever, run through a detection demonstration with chief trainer Marine Corps Sgt. Joshua Araujo.
During the demonstration, Araujo explained to Kelly how he rarely uses whistles in the field.
“The only time I would use the whistle is in case of emergency, if there were gunfire or explosives, and he couldn’t hear my voice,” Araujo said.
Unlike the USAF, which uses MWDs for detection and patrol, the RAAF uses one MWD apiece for both duties, Kelly said.