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Security forces teach Girls Scouts self defense

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Jose J. De Jesus
  • 52nd Security Forces Squadron
SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany --  Scouts from USA Girl Scouts Overseas trained with the 52nd Security Forces Squadron at the elementary school here Aug. 21 during a summer camp.

The security forces members instructed 64 Girl Scouts in basic defense skills in light of recent child-predator incidents in Germany.

Nearly 800,000 children are reported missing every year, according to the 2002 National Incidence Studies of Missing, Abducted, Runaway and Thrownaway Children report written by the U.S. Department of Justice. The training was intended to combat this trend.

Capt. Lidia Iyassu, 52nd SFS operations officer, and Capt. Julie Roloson, 52nd SFS training and resources officer in charge, led the training.

Master Sgt. DeJanairo Wilson, Tech. Sgt. Jose De Jesus, Airman 1st Class Paige Shaw and Police Officer Melanie Bryant provided hands-on training in identifying and reacting to strangers, basic defensive striking techniques and strategies for getting attention in an emergency.

The instructors initially asked the girls to draw a picture of what they think a stranger looks like. Many of the girls drew pictures portraying scary individuals or someone dressed in bank-robber outfits, but security forces wanted to teach a bigger lesson.

"We wanted to focus on the identification of strangers," Iyassu said. "We all want young people to understand that strangers can look like anyone. They are not always people who look scary."

Shaw, a prior Girl Scout, and Bryant provided the scouts a few basic techniques for fighting back against any stranger who may try to abduct them.

These tactics included how to effectively twist and wrestle away from a stranger's grip and key body-strike locations that can be used to stun an aggressor.

"[With them,] size and strength are not so important," Roloson said. "These are actions everyone can take in order to fight off an aggressor."

Participants were given an opportunity to try these potentially lifesaving tactics on Wilson, who was outfitted in a combatives suit. The suit allows the wearer to endure physical assaults without feeling pain.

Initially, many of the Girls Scouts were apprehensive, but with some positive encouragement, they were able to repel simulated abductions from Wilson.

"I was actually approached by one of the parents at the commissary after the training," Wilson said. "She told me how much her daughter enjoyed the training and how much more confident her daughter was about reacting to that type of situation."

The training, the first of its kind at Spangdahlem, was well received by all.

"[It] really got the girls talking about safety and protecting themselves," said Jen Hickman, USA Girls Scouts Overseas. "We would definitely love to have it again."

Roloson said she hopes the scouts learned a lot and would like to encourage parents to also take time to discuss how to react to this type of situation with their children.

"Unfortunately," she said, "we can't always be there to prevent this type of crime."
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