Military SWAT Training
- Because of mission and law enforcement needs, the military trains certain units in SWAT techniques.regimentals image by Andrey Kiselev from Fotolia.com
All four military services have certain missions within the military's special operations structure or military police field, including SWAT-style operations. The Army role includes having a number of units dedicated to special operations. These include Rangers, Special Forces (Green Berets) and Delta Force. The Navy has units within its SEAL teams (SEAL Team Six, especially) dedicated to SWAT-type operations, in many cases. The Marines also have a special security forces regiment recapture tactics team (RTT). - Delta Force SWAT training includes stealthy infiltration tactics.killer image by Andrey Kiselev from Fotolia.com
Formally known as the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (SFOD-D), Delta Force would almost seem to be totally dedicated to missions that use SWAT-style techniques. It's also one of the two primary units dedicated to counter-terrorism. Because of that, its training activities include a heavy dose of SWAT-specific courses. These include learning special methods of entry (MOE) to enter a room and then engage in close quarters battle against an enemy. It also involves learning stealth infiltration tactics. - Navy SEAL SWAT training focuses on certain counter-terror techniques.mission image by Andrey Kiselev from Fotolia.com
The Navy's Special Warfare Development Group (NSWDG, or DEVGRU) is more popularly known as SEAL Team Six. Along with the Army's Delta Force, SEAL Team Six is responsible for conducting counter-terrorism operations outside the country, though almost all SEAL teams contain counter-terrorism platoons. DEVGRU spends much more time and effort on its specific counter-terror missions than the other teams, though. SWAT-specific training includes special demolitions, protecting high-level personnel, sniper training and stealthy insertion and exfiltration activities. - Marine Corps SWAT training includes sniper skills instruction.sniper rifle on the tripod and optical sight image by Vladimir Melnik from Fotolia.com
The Marine Recapture Tactics Team is also called the Security Force Close Quarters Battle (CQB) Team. It's totally dedicated to the SWAT mission, and its specific mission focus is on anti-terrorism rather than counter-terrorism activities. The RTT spends much time training its members in sniper skills, protecting personnel at high-risk of capture and in close quarters battle. It also has the mission of training other fleet Marine Force units in anti-terror techniques and processes. - Military police forces also have special special reaction teams (SRTs) that receive SWAT training.Main Battle Assault Rifle image by Peter Orsaeo Sr from Fotolia.com
Outside of these special operations units, all four military services also have special reaction teams (SRTs) within each of their military police (MP) branches. They're the law enforcement counterpart to civilian police force SWAT teams. All of the services send their MP-type personnel to train at the Army's military police school at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. To receive this training, enlistment and education in a military service's law enforcement career field is required.