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Camp Dodge |
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The trip started on a Sunday and continued until Thursday, which involves three and a half very strenuous days of training. Sunday involves driving the 250 miles from Worthington to Des Moines, Iowa and then training that evening. The following three days are used for training approximately twelve hours per day. Thursday the trip is over after the facilities are cleaned and the 250 miles driven home is completed. In 1999 and 2000 the group trained together on various aspects of "high risk entries". In 2001 Worthington/Nobles County and Winona County personnel organized the trip and went to Camp Dodge as its own entity. The 2001 trip took place in the month of September and involved intense training in several areas used by ERUs. The training included instruction on the following topics: less lethal force, gas munitions, diversionary devices, high risk entry techniques, use of the armored personnel carrier (APC) and other various topics. The training also included a full day for training at Camp Dodge's various automated ranges. Training included pistol courses, MP-5 courses and will include M-16 courses in the future. Worthington/Nobles and Winona County snipers also received an opportunity to train at a known distance range. This trip is one the officers in each department look forward to. Although it is a very demanding week of training, officers are pleased with the training and the whole experience. The Worthington/Nobles County group has become very close with the Officers from the Winona County group as a result of this training. The groups share information throughout the year, which benefits each group immensely. We also correspond in anticipation of the next year's training. This trip is well worth the time, planning, and effort that go into making it all a success. |