Throughout the month of January and early February 2019, the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) Protective Force had four students attending the Tactical Response Force II, or TRF200, course. The course was hosted by the Y-12 National Security Complex’s Central Training Facility, located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
Of the handful of Security Police Officers (SPOs) who volunteered and were assessed in December 2018, four were selected based on demonstrated proficiency. The class had eight Protective Force students total – four from Y-12 and four from Nevada.
The rigorous five-week course is designed to train and qualify candidates as Security Police Officer IIIs. Live-fire obstacle courses, close quarters marksmanship and battle drills filled the students’ days, along with study sessions on evenings and weekends. SPO IIIs at the NNSS can be assigned Special Response Team duties and must maintain a more rigorous suite of qualifications than other SPOs. They must also demonstrate a higher standard of marksmanship every six months.
In addition to the SPO III designation, awards are also presented for Top Gun (best marksman) and Academic Honors at the conclusion of the course. Both of these awards were presented to NNSS SPO Arturo Vazquez. The Y-12 training manager had nothing but great things to say about the overall conduct and skill level of the NNSS students.
Y-12’s Tactical Response Force II Class 4-19 graduated Feb. 6.