USTRANSCOM hosts third Non-Lethal Weapon FAMFIRE event

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. – A split-second after Barry Schulhofer aimed the stubby, weapon and called out “Taser, taser, taser,” Army Sgt.  Brant Hall realized that volunteering to be shot with the Human Electro-Muscular Incapacitation device may not have been the wisest decision of his life.

Schulhofer, U.S. Transportation Command’s, Combatant Command Non-Lethal Weapons Liaison, then unleashed the weapon’s 50,000 volts. 

After a long, loud groan followed by two ughs, Hall breathed an audible sigh of relief as a non-lethal weapons demonstration and training session began, Sept. 11, at the Illinois National Guard Training area in Sparta, Illinois.

Later that day, riot-gun-launched rubber bullets, paintballs and airborne flash-bang devices fired from the M203 grenade launcher filled the air as USTRANSCOM’s Force Protection Division hosted the third non-lethal familiarization fire, or FAMFIRE, event. 

“Representatives of the Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Directorate, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, conducted familiarization sessions for planners from Air Mobility Command, Military Sealift Command, Military Surface Distribution and Deployment Command, and the 375th Air Mobility Wing,” said U.S. Marine Maj. Perry D. Waters, USTRANSCOM Force Protection Division.

The Department of Defense defines non-lethal weapons as weapons, devices and munitions that are explicitly designed and primarily employed to immediately suppress or disable targeted personnel or materiel, while minimizing fatalities, permanent injury to personnel, and undesired damage to property in the target area or environment. 

According to U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. David Osterman, division chief, Capabilities and Requirements Division, Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Directorate, Quantico, Virginia,

non-lethal weapons play a critical role in missions across the range of military operations.

"A number of non-lethal weapons are currently fielded to give our service men and women alternatives between 'shouting and shooting,' while reducing the risk of fatalities and permanent injury to non-combatants," Osterman said.  "These devices have been and continue to be extremely valuable to warfighters involved in current operations.  Non-lethal capabilities are available for use in a variety of conflict scenarios, ranging from humanitarian and peace operations to combat operations." 

“The Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Directorate conducts multiple non-lethal weapons familiarization events to educate leaders, planners and forces regarding non-lethal weapons capabilities and their utility,” Osterman added.

“This event highlighted capabilities that are either carried by or available to USTRANSCOM forces or capabilities that could be easily integrated into and that would enhance USTRANSCOM and component mission sets,” said Army Lt. Col. Lance D. Stratton, deputy chief, Force Protection Division, USTRANSCOM.

Eighty shooters fired fin-stabilized rounds and beanbags from 12-gauge shotguns, and non-lethal munitions from M203 40mm grenade launchers and the FN303 riot gun before the sessions ended. 

An addition to this year’s event was the Mini-Distributed Sound and Light Array (Mini-DSLA).

“It’s a non-lethal acoustical and optical device that provides hailing and warning capabilities,” Stratton said.  “The Mini-DSLA prototype uses the combined effects of two integrated sensory stimulators:  a distributed, high-output, phased acoustic array and a distributed, high-output, coherent (laser) non-coherent (bright white light) optical array.”

“Feedback from familiarization fire participants has been overwhelmingly positive,” Stratton added.  “2014 is our third year conducting this annual event and we've been successful at increasing participation each year.  This year we were able to honor component command requests for information by demonstrating specific capabilities, the Mini-DSLA, Harbinger II and 12-gauge warning munitions, of interest to AMC and MSC.”

The DOD Non-Lethal Weapons Program promotes and coordinates non-lethal weapons requirements of the U.S. Armed Services and allocates resources to help meet these requirements. The commandant of the Marine Corps serves as the DOD Non-Lethal Weapons Executive Agent.

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