CAMP BLANDING JOINT TRAINING CENTER, Fla. – Soldiers and Airmen of the Florida National Guard conducted the first joint Oleoresin Capsicum, or OC, spray certification in decades to maintain readiness when exposed to contaminants and manage their reactions in chaotic situations, March 23-26.
Personnel from the 715th Military Police Company and the 125th Security Forces Squadron hosted the class for Florida Army National Guard Soldiers from the 265th Air Defense Artillery Regiment and the 116th Field Artillery Regiment. The Florida Army National Guard conducts OC spray certification and other security detail training to maintain readiness capabilities for both state and federal missions.
As the Florida National Guard continues to support joint operations, realistic training scenarios are crucial to maintaining high levels of proficiency for all members. More than 100 Guardsmen participated in the process as part of non-lethal security training.
“Today we conducted the OC spray contamination level one,” said 1st Sgt. Spencer Gibbs, the 715th Military Police Company First Sergeant and Instructor – Non-Lethal Weapons Instructor Course. “This contamination is both for familiarization and self-confidence purposes. If they have to go down range and the OC spray is deployed, they recognize that and are able to fight through while still accomplishing the mission. This is the first time in my entire military career that I have supported a joint operation for qualification this way. I have served as an instructor for over 14 years, and this is the largest instructional group I have been a part of. I am very proud of the level of motivation that the units demonstrated through it all.”
Soldiers participating in the training were challenged through an obstacle course immediately following their exposure to the contaminant. Participants navigated a field where they used physical defense and subjugation techniques before detaining an individual. The event put Soldiers' training to the test as they successfully demonstrated proper techniques while under the contaminant's physical effects.
“Everyone was pretty well prepared,” said Spc. Kirian Johnson, a military police Soldier with the 715th Military Police Company. “The environment was good, the course got all of your senses moving. The hardest part of going through this was the aftermath. Looking around, trying to regain your vision after, it's difficult. This training is important because, in a real-world scenario, if someone's going to pepper-spray me, I have to handle that scenario in a professional manner. I need to have an expectation of what's going to happen and how it's going to affect me.”
Experiences such as OC spray training build confidence and reinforce emotional control, allowing Guardsmen to manage reactions in chaotic situations rather than be overwhelmed by them.
“This is a type of training you won't know how to handle until you go through it,” said Master Sgt. Jimmy Randolph, logistics superintendent of the 125th Security Forces Squadron. “Seeing people face the unknown and having the courage to go forth is one of the best parts of this training. This event gives us an opportunity to execute that team building and partnership aspect of our mission by coming together with our brothers and sisters and get them certified. The most beneficial part of these joint ops is coming together as a force and understanding each other's roles, building camaraderie and that Guard unity. It gives us a platform to understand each other's mission and how we come together while looking for ways to further train and develop in the future.”
The training also highlighted the importance of discipline, accountability and leadership in developing confident, mission-ready Guardsmen. Instructors maintained clear expectations throughout the event, reinforcing standards across all participating units. This approach ensured Soldiers remained focused and prepared to perform effectively in complex and unpredictable environments.
“The military has set a standard for training,” Gibbs said. “Attitude sets everything, we give these Soldiers our expectations of motivation and what they can expect from us. At no point in time did the participants, or the training staff, deviate from those expectations. That's a testimony to the instructors and the leadership that's ready to get the job done and complete the mission. I think that by doing that, not just in the training grounds but in the field, keeping that morale up is going to allow us to be more successful in the future.”