SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- Silence governed the area, as a loud metal-on-metal bang cracked through the tranquility and chaos ensued.
A flash bang pierced the air, M4 rifles and Glock handguns held by a six-man police SWAT team rushed through the doorway into the hallway.
Each member yelled, “Police search warrant” as they cleared the building room by room, neutralizing any threat swiftly and with deadly accuracy.
Once the building was cleared, a voice coming from a speaker boomed, “Holster your weapons; site is cold.”
The team members holstered their weapons on safe as they walked outside the shoot-house on Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.
The instructor, A.A. Boone, founder and president of Specialized Realistic Training Inc., congratulated the team of students on a job well done.
“These individuals are currently going through the basic SWAT course,” Boone said. “Most of the students are from the Goldsboro Police Department and Wayne Community College.”
Two students who had the opportunity to work alongside Goldsboro PD during the training session were from the 4th Security Forces Squadron.
“This is a really great opportunity to work with our local law enforcement,” said Airman Xavier De Leon, 4th SFS patrolman. “By working with different units, we get the chance to share tips, tactics and knowledge.”
According to Boone, all the students would learn many things not just about SWAT, but also about themselves.
“The training is intense. It instills the mindset to survive and to trust their team members,” Boone said. “They’ll all be a different individual by the end of the week.”
Throughout the day of intense room clearing, the students took the time to make jokes, laugh and ultimately bring them closer together.
“Coming out here to train and to have the opportunity to improve our skillsets is great,” De Leon said. “The fact that we’re doing it with our counterparts outside the gate makes it even better.”
After all, while a fence may separate Seymour Johnson AFB from the rest of Goldsboro, it’s the 4th Fighter Wing’s focus to work together to build a world-class community.