Vehicles searched as part of exercise

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 320, 23 January 1990, Page 5

Vehicles searched as part of exercise

As part of Exercise Shakedown Three, Queen Alexandra Squadron (QA) stepped ,up vehicle security within ATG camp. The vehicle checkpoint was staged at the main entrance to the camp on Ruapehu Road. Drivers of vehicles were stopped at the checkpoint and the security team then carried out their tasks which involved a thorough check of the vehicle internally and externally. Drivers were also asked to produce some form of identification. The Empty Page understands that illegal items were found during the security checks. When the Empty Page reporter spoke to several drivers after the

security check they said that they felt quite apprehensive especially

when soldiers dressed in combat fatigues and armed with weapons

approached them and explained what was about to happen.

One driver said that she was very nervous when she saw the two

tanks (Scorpions) parked across the road, the armed guards, and a chain of nails dropped in front of her vehicle to prevent it from moving forward she said she had thought that she had done something wrong and was about to be arrested. The aim of the vehicle checkpoint was to provide practice for QA Sqn members in searching vehicles for explosives and to create a scenario similar to a real situation in wartorn Northern Ireland. Ex Shakedown in-

volved three training stands for QA Sqn. Stand One involved a troop in Route reconnaissance at the southern end of the ATG Training area. Stand Two involved a troop conducting an Observation Post (OP) in the very northern part of the Training area, their aim being to observe likely poachers in the area. Stand Three involved the Vehicle Security Checkpoint. Last week each troop spent a couple of days practicing at each stand before rotating to the next stand.