YOUR VOICE
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Mission Drivers Learn to Steer Clear of Terrorism
Mission Drivers Learn to Steer Clear of Terrorism
By Roger Rowe
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The security driving course for USAID mission drivers
teaches the latest counterterrorism techniques, from
countersurveillance to high-speed evasive driving.
USAID
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Your Voice, a continuing FrontLines feature, offers
personal observations from USAID employees.
It was an early September morning in southern Virginia. The
dew was still on the grass and Anthony Harrison, USAID/New
Deli’s mission driver, looked around the vehicle at three
other USAID mission drivers, all wearing crash helmets as
he was, and reminded himself that he was attending drivers
training for counterterrorism.
Fourteen drivers from USAID missions in Iraq, Egypt, Indonesia,
Kosovo, India, Armenia, Cambodia, Sudan, and Jordan were selected
along with representatives from the Agency’s Office of
Security (SEC) to attend the course. Each year, SEC sponsors
the professional driving course conducted at International
Training Inc. (ITI), near the small town of West Point, Va.
In FY 2005, three such courses were conducted.
The course is designed for USAID mission drivers who operate
armored vehicles and for mission directors’ personal
drivers. The course teaches the latest counterterrorist techniques
developed over the years, from countersurveillance to high-speed
tactical evasive driving.
SEC has a special appreciation for all USAID mission drivers.
These are the unsung heroes that transport daily USAID’s
most valuable asset—personnel. And delivering these assets
safely requires many little known, behind-the-scene elements
such as inspecting and maintaining the vehicle, deciding what
routes to take, and avoiding bad roads, traffic congestion,
and demonstrations. Now throw in the fact that terrorists
may be looking for U.S. government vehicles on the road and
you can see that the driver’s plate is quite full.
The first day of instruction centered on countersurveillance
and avoiding an ambush. The drivers learned how to determine
several alternate routes by first reading a map and developing
know-how. After selecting several alternate routes on the
map, came the practical exercise—driving alternate routes
in downtown Richmond, Va. By the end of the exercise, the
drivers knew their way around the city.
Next, the drivers learned how to create a daily journal
of observations and a matrix of danger spots along the route,
and to determine the most vulnerable locations along the route.
Observing the surrounding areas and looking for anyone and
anything out of the ordinary were also key components of the
instruction.
A big discussion took place about time requirements when
using antiterrorist driving measures. These techniques require
extra driving time and cannot be performed properly when mission
personnel instruct the driver to speed because they are late
for a meeting. Either drivers practice what they have learned
or we throw out all of the instruction and take a risk for
that individual who is late for a meeting.
On the second day, the student drivers, in groups of three,
were assigned an instructor and a car. The instructor drove
around the track, demonstrating what he wanted the students
to do. Then each student took a turn performing tasks that
included using brakes and driving on a wet surface. By the
afternoon, the students were gaining confidence—until
they had to head for an obstacle while driving at 55 mph.
The drivers had to maintain control of the vehicle by braking
only when, and in which lane, the instructor specified. This
was very challenging at first but eventually became routine.
Each day the instruction became more comprehensive and demanding
to include crashing through a road block, checking the wiring
under the hood for signs of tampering, and learning how to
maneuver with guns firing at the vehicle (blanks and paint
guns are used for simulation). By the end of the week, the
students began to realize how effective this type of driving
can be in a life and death situation. They also began to realize
how important it is to believe that they are in control of
their destinies when they are behind the wheel.
After completing the course, the students received additional
training from SEC personnel in the Washington, D.C., area
on radio communication and maintenance of USAID armored vehicles.
Later, the drivers agreed that they needed to practice their
new skills as often as possible and convey what they had learned
to their associates back at their home missions. A new title
of “security driver” was bestowed on each student.
The new class of security drivers left USAID headquarters
with professional enthusiasm and confidence that they will
make a difference when they return to their respective USAID
missions.
Roger Rowe is a security specialist at USAID headquarters
in Washington, D.C.
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