Counterterrorism Training Professionales and Hostage Rescue Team Discussion Read FBI Stories: The Hostage Rescue Team Part 2: The Crucible of Selection in

Counterterrorism Training Professionales and Hostage Rescue Team Discussion Read FBI Stories: The Hostage Rescue Team Part 2: The Crucible of Selection in preparation for this discussion. Watch Hostage Rescue Team Marks 30 Years and research this highly trained group. What differentiates these professionals from ordinary law enforcement personnel? What kind of specialized training would a counterterrorism professional expect to receive? Explain why counterterrorism professionals need specialized training outside of a basic academy and field-training program.

In response to your peers, provide examples of innovative screening methods that can be used to ensure candidates are mentally and emotionally prepared for rigorous training and life as a counter terrorism professional.

Textbook: Counterterrorism, Chapter 4

This chapter discusses the domestic and foreign perception of terrorism and the global impact of terrorism. Additionally, the risk of terrorism is explored and includes public and media views.

Video: Hostage Rescue Team Marks 30 Years (cc) (4:52)
This video outlines the specialized training that FBI Hostage Rescue Team members receive and the types of missions in which they are engaged.

Article: FBI Stories: The Hostage Rescue Team Part 2: The Crucible of Selection
This article describes the selection process that HRT members go through, and also the need to find applicants who are team players.

Website: SLATT (Optional)
The State and Local Anti-Terrorism Training website is full of training tools and resources for the law enforcement and security professional.

To acess textbook

https://mbsdirect.vitalsource.com/#/

Username kyleseth@ymail.com

Password MaX0802!

Peer post 1

The Hostage Rescue Team (HRT) is an FBI task force that consist of special agents who train continuously for high risk missions. The HRT is the last line of defense for federal law enforcement when it comes to high risk missions involving terrorist, hostage takers, and violent criminals. After the 1972 Olympics in Munich when 11 Israelite athletes were taken hostage by terrorist then later murder the United States government thought to create the HRT to prevent similar incidents.

There are several things that differentiate the HRT with law enforcement personnel. One of those things is the type of missions they execute. The HRT will be involved in missions that are of high risk and require much more detailed planning, while normal law enforcement agencies do not usually go on missions that involve such risk. Another factor that differentiates the two is the type of training that is received. The HRT go through constant extensive training so that they can be prepared to execute counter terrorism missions, while law enforcement agencies train quarterly.

Some of the specialized training that a counterterrorism professional should expect include a physical fitness tests that include running, swimming, and stair-climbing with a 55-pound vest and 35-pound battering ram, all with little rest between activities. The HRT must also perform well on firearms tests and during complex arrest scenarios. Equally important is showing good judgment, thinking on your feet, and being a team player, despite being sleep-deprived and physically drained.

Counterterrorism professionals need specialized training outside of a basic academy and field training program because the missions they are tasked with require personnel to be ready both physically and mentally at the drop of a dime. The HRT’s motto is “servare vitas” which means to save lives, and this represents one of their most important roles, and this is why thy must receive extensive training.

Peer post 2

As with all specialized units, additional training is needed to conduct their assigned duties. These elite groups differ from ordinary law enforcement practitioners by the high stress, both physical and mental, in which the job entails. The FBI’s elite group of the Hostage Rescue Team endures two weeks of high intensity training with minimal sleep to see at which point your body or mind will break (“The Hostage Rescue Team,” 2013). According to the video “HRT Marks 30 Years” (n.d.) half of all selectees that go to the training will drop out for various reasons meaning they are not able to withstand the brutal mental and physical stress that the Hostage Rescue Team will endure when they are out on missions. These members would pose a significant liability to the team, hostages, and the effectiveness of the mission if they were chosen. Mission success is key to these operations and the teams want the best members with them.

The type of training a counterterrorism professional would expect to receive would be advanced marksmanship with various weapons, explosives training, door breaching techniques, skydiving, fast-roping, advanced driving techniques, EMT training, Diving, Underwater demolitions, and many others. The members of the HRT must be able to accomplish all of these in order to be ready for team assignments.

Counterterrorism teams need specialized training outside of basic academy or field-trainings because not all agents who are able to complete the basic academy course can complete the high intensity two-week course for the HRT. It is one of the most elite units in all of the United States law enforcement agencies and they need to operate as a team in these high stress scenarios to complete their mission. If being a counterterrorism agent was easy, then a lot more people would do it. “You can be the fastest person in the world, the strongest person in the world, or the smartest person in the world, but if you’re not willing to be a part of the team, you don’t belong on HRT” (“The Hostage Rescue Team,” 2013). Each individual on the team must possess certain aspects far beyond physical or mental limitations and those who like to do things alone will also be putting the team, members, hostages and the mission at risk if they were chosen to be on the team.

Thank you,

Timothy

References

Hostage Rescue Team: The Crucible of Selection. (2013, February 12). Retrieved fromhttps://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/hostage-rescue-team-the-crucible-of-selection-2

Hostage Rescue Team Marks 30 Years (2013, February 01). Retrieved June 03, 2019, from https://www.fbi.gov/video-repository/newss-hostage…