ALBERT LEA – Soldiers from the Minnesota Army National Guard could be seen in riot gear Sunday at the Freeborn County Fairgrounds here, simulating a natural disaster relief scenario.

Tuesday, March 07, 2000

ALBERT LEA – Soldiers from the Minnesota Army National Guard could be seen in riot gear Sunday at the Freeborn County Fairgrounds here, simulating a natural disaster relief scenario.

The Albert Lea unit’s executive officer, Lt. Jason Griffith, wrote a scenario in which a fictional tornado strikes the heart of the city. Using the fairgrounds as a training area, the soldiers simulated an evacuation plan, Griffith said.

"In this scenario, we assume that a tornado has struck," Griffith explained. "The Freeborn County sheriff has called upon us to assist local law enforcement in clearing the residences."

"The city is without running water because the tornado has damaged water lines and infrastructure," the lieutenant continued. "Without water, the city fire crews are unable to put out fires begun after the tornado’s aftermath. There is a real danger of fire doing further damage and the lives of local residents are in jeopardy. That is why we are here, to assist in the evacuation."

Soldiers used the buildings and streets on the fairgrounds, simulating a house to house search for survivors. The soldiers also noted the locations of dangerous gas leaks and water line breaks.

The soldiers escorted the displaced, once located, to a safe area. Some chose not to go willingly, however.

"I have programed a worse-case scenario into the plan, to give the soldiers a glimpse of what that would be," Griffith said. "One resident arms himself and blockades himself into his home. The soldiers encounter him, attempt to calm him, but he just won’t go."

Sgt. Dan Meier and his squad are on the scene and encounter the armed man, a soldier in civilian clothes selected to play the role. The barricaded man threatens to shoot the soldiers, who withdraw to a safe distance. Meier, however, continues to talk to the man through the window in an attempt to reach a compromise.

"The soldiers are trained in this situation to use the least force necessary. That begins with talking," the lieutenant said. "The man’s life is at risk because of the threat of fire. Soldiers are on the scene to safeguard property from looting as much as possible. There is no reason for the man to remain and the soldiers have to deal with it."

Griffith explained that under normal circumstances, the National Guard would be working for the highest elected official of the county, namely the sheriff. Under the sheriff’s direction, the soldiers would be called upon to evacuate residents, transport supplies and safeguard property. In this special case, however, the local police or sheriff’s deputies would be called upon to deal with it themselves.

Without any backup from law enforcement, however, soldiers took matters into their own hands with a special reaction force armed with M-16 rifles and riot gear. The squad stormed the gunman’s house and took him into custody without causing harm.

"In a real-life situation, you’re bound to deal with difficult people," Griffith said. "People will be concerned about their property, they won’t be able to see the continued dangers. We would be called upon to help, without doing further harm."

Roadblocks and checkpoints were set up to curtail traffic in the area. Soldiers in everyday clothes role-played as civilian passers-by, but were hardly necessary for the realism of the training. Real-life pedestrians, motorists and bicyclists were surprised to find their travel checked by the solders on duty. The soldiers checked identifications and allowed the Albert Leans to continue on their way.

The unit practiced civil disturbance tactics Saturday, including uses of appropriate force taught by the executive officer, who is himself a law enforcement specialist. Sunday’s training was a culmination of what the soldiers learned Saturday, he said.

If an emergency occurred, soldiers would be ready to provide the National Guard Training and Community Center on Prospect Avenue as a temporary shelter, providing medical assistance and food to the displaced and homeless, Griffith said.

The Albert Lea unit has retired its old colors, those of Company A, 2nd Battalion, 135th Infantry. The unit is changing to Company D as part of a statewide reorganization. The battalion commander, Lt. Cmdr. Rodney Peterson, was on hand for a brief ceremony Sunday in which he and Company Cmdr. Aaron Holgate retired the old flag before the assembled soldiers.

"We’re still the best company in the battalion," Holgate said to his soldiers, "We’ve just changed the letter associated with our name. It’s not important that we have changed from A to D. The soldiers here are still the same."

The unit is changing from a mechanized infantry unit to an anti-tank company in an air assault battalion, Holgate said.