Exercise burns 480th MPC Soldiers

Published Sept. 26, 2013
By Sgt. 1st Class Stanley Maszczak
174th Infantry Brigade Public Affairs

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- "It's like the devil just peed on my face - that's how it feels," said Spc. Maria Rios, military police soldier with the Puerto Rico Army National Guard's 480th Military Police Company, after completing the oleoresin capsicum, or "OC," spray course during her mobilization training Sept. 9, 2013, here.

Observer-controller/trainers from 1st Army Division East's 174th Infantry Brigade, a unit made up of both active-duty and Reserve Soldiers, conduct training with mobilized service members at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst not only on warrior tasks and drills, but also on their mission-specific duties. For the military police company, this includes being sprayed with OC, commonly referred to as "pepper spray."

"MPs have to learn to deal with cross-contamination so they can still function in their duties and subdue their subject even if they've been hit with the OC spray themselves," said Staff Sgt. April Chambliss, a Reservist and observer-controller/trainer with 1-307th Infantry Regiment, 174th Infantry Brigade.

OC is a chemical derived from the fruit of plants like hot peppers. When a person is sprayed in the eyes and face, the capillaries of the eyes swell, causing temporary blindness; it also inflames the respiratory tissue causing coughing, choking and breathing difficulties.

"It's a psychological thing, too," said Staff Sgt. David Engelhardt, observer-controller/trainer with the 1-307th. "The first time you get hit with it you always think, 'Oh my god, something's wrong, this shouldn't be feeling like this,' but then you realize, that's just what it feels like. So now you know when you go into a situation, if you do get cross-contaminated, you can mentally break that barrier, know you're going to be fine and know that you can function."

Once sprayed by a trainer, the mobilized MPs then move through five stations, including various forms of take-downs, baton strikes and defensive blocks.

"Your body doesn't get any more used to it," Engelhardt said, "but your mind definitely does."

Each station has an aggressor played by a plainly-dressed trainer, some of which wear protective suits to help shield them from baton strikes during the exercise. The training, in line with 1st Army's goal of providing relevant and realistic training, forces the MPs to complete the required takedowns and blocks while enduring the effects of a full spray of OC across the eyes and face.

"I'm glad I did it," said Spc. Matias Jimlee, 408th MP Company, who'd never been sprayed before. "I know now what it feels like and if I'm ever sprayed I'm very confident I can push through and accomplish the mission."

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