Aircraft Accident Exercise Tests TXSG
CW2 Janet Schmelzer, PAO, TXSG
2012/10/02
DFW Airport, Texas – A commercial aircraft accident simulation was conducted Saturday, September 29, by a component of the Texas State Guard, with soldiers working alongside the Search One K-9 Unit. The exercise was intended to prepare TXSG soldiers for working with local authorities during a natural or manmade emergency anywhere in Texas.

The TXSG’s 3rd Battalion 4th Regiment’s executive officer, CPT Gary Sherman, said the exercise was a great opportunity for his solders.

“It’s a real privilege to work with the premier K-9 Search team,” said Sherman. “We were training on 350 acres of one of the largest airports in the United States.”

The scenario was that a commercial aircraft had crashed with passengers aboard. The first phase of the exercise included a "Search and Rescue" exercise with the Texas State Guard and Search One K-9 Unit. The second phase of the exercise was a Wide Area Disaster Assessment, relaying the GPS coordinates of critical areas to a Tactical Operations Center.

“Creative training exercises like this keep the Texas State Guard at the forefront of disaster preparedness for the State of Texas,” COL Howard Palmer, commander of the 4th Regiment, commented. “Time in the field is time well spent. We greatly appreciate the good relationship with DFW Airport and Search One K-9. These are great partners serving Texas.”