Training Issues from the Far East

Abstract

Recently, one of the authors participated in a two-day exercise designed to test the command and control, tactical and hostage negotiation elements of an anti-terrorist team from two far-eastern countries. The scenario involved the kidnapping of the Minister of Defense by a group of terrorists. They demanded independence for a section of the country whose minister they held and the release of fellow terrorists from jail. Of course, the government of this hypothetical country was not willing to comply with either demand. Ultimately, there was an assault on the safe house in which the Minister and his wife and children were being held. The exercise raised several training issues that need some discussion: