6 S<strong>to</strong>ry and pho<strong>to</strong>s by Lance Cpl. Mark W. Stroud ok<strong>in</strong>awa mar<strong>in</strong>e staff Terrorists concealed with<strong>in</strong> a civilian population are a prevalent enemy of Operation Endur<strong>in</strong>g Freedom. Veiled beh<strong>in</strong>d a cloak of anonymity, they strike and then recede back <strong>in</strong><strong>to</strong> the shadows disappear<strong>in</strong>g once more <strong>in</strong><strong>to</strong> the local populace. Putt<strong>in</strong>g down the typical weapons of an <strong>in</strong>surgent and pick<strong>in</strong>g up the staff of a shepherd or <strong>to</strong>ols of a carpenter may temporarily disguise a hostile person but it will not deceive tra<strong>in</strong>ed eyes for long, said a forensics expert at the Central Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g Area. “The people we are deal<strong>in</strong>g with right now are not wear<strong>in</strong>g dist<strong>in</strong>ctive uniforms, and we need <strong>to</strong> identify them somehow,” said Tim Segu<strong>in</strong>, a latent pr<strong>in</strong>t exam<strong>in</strong>er and Forensic Material Collection and Exploitation Course <strong>in</strong>struc<strong>to</strong>r. “We are identify<strong>in</strong>g them by biometrics.” Biometrics are the unique biological traits, such as f<strong>in</strong>gerpr<strong>in</strong>ts or DNA, used <strong>to</strong> identify <strong>in</strong>dividuals, said Segu<strong>in</strong>. Members of Military Police Company, Combat Logistics Regiment 37, 3rd Mar<strong>in</strong>e Logistics Group, III Mar<strong>in</strong>e Expeditionary Force, and Army soldiers from 441st Military Intelligence Battalion, 500th Military Intelligence Brigade, Intelligence and Security Command, participated <strong>in</strong> FMCEC tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g at the Central Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g Area March 8 designed <strong>to</strong> teach them <strong>to</strong> capture and document biometric data at tactical sites <strong>in</strong> a forward operat<strong>in</strong>g environment. Troops tra<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>in</strong> battlefield forensics will be able <strong>to</strong> collect evidence and process a scene for clues such as f<strong>in</strong>gerpr<strong>in</strong>ts that could lead <strong>to</strong> the capture of a bomb maker, said Segu<strong>in</strong>. “We are build<strong>in</strong>g a database of latent f<strong>in</strong>gerpr<strong>in</strong>ts with the au<strong>to</strong>matic-biometric-identification-system,” said Segu<strong>in</strong>. “That’s where all these f<strong>in</strong>gerpr<strong>in</strong>ts are be<strong>in</strong>g deposited, just like a crim<strong>in</strong>al database (<strong>in</strong> the United States).” As the database grows and becomes a more <strong>in</strong>clusive collection of <strong>in</strong>surgents, service members operat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> theater will be better able <strong>to</strong> identify and confront this enemy, he said. “As we get latent f<strong>in</strong>gerpr<strong>in</strong>ts from bomb mak<strong>in</strong>g sites or terrorist hides, then we can match them up,” said Segu<strong>in</strong>. “I can speak for Iraq when I was there, what we have been do<strong>in</strong>g has contributed <strong>to</strong> a 65 percent drop <strong>in</strong> (improvised explosive device)-related casualties s<strong>in</strong>ce we started collect<strong>in</strong>g biometric <strong>in</strong>telligence.” The technology and techniques beh<strong>in</strong>d the FMCEC have found new applications <strong>in</strong> the war on terror but are not themselves new, hav<strong>in</strong>g been a domestic crime-fight<strong>in</strong>g staple for some time. “It’s the same procedure I’ve used stateside for 20 years (as a sheriff),” said Segu<strong>in</strong>. “You take your pho<strong>to</strong>graphs, you collect your evidence, and you process whatever you can’t put <strong>in</strong> an evidence bag.” In addition <strong>to</strong> help<strong>in</strong>g identify and s<strong>to</strong>p bomb makers <strong>in</strong> war zones, biometric data captured by forensic material collection teams is be<strong>in</strong>g shared with domestic U.S. government agencies and foreign allies <strong>to</strong> restrict the travel of terrorists. “It’s a huge part of the global war on terrorism, and on <strong>to</strong>p of that, we are benefitt<strong>in</strong>g the homeland,” said Sengu<strong>in</strong>. “What we are gather<strong>in</strong>g is be<strong>in</strong>g shared with (Homeland Security), and we are shar<strong>in</strong>g it with our allies.” As more FMCEC-tra<strong>in</strong>ed service members are deployed and allowed <strong>to</strong> utilize this skill <strong>set</strong> <strong>to</strong> capture and record the biometric data of more <strong>in</strong>surgents, the grow<strong>in</strong>g database will see <strong>in</strong>creased effectiveness, accord<strong>in</strong>g <strong>to</strong> Fred H<strong>in</strong>es, FMCEC team leader. “The goal is <strong>to</strong> tra<strong>in</strong> every Mar<strong>in</strong>e, every soldier, everybody that is deploy<strong>in</strong>g,” said H<strong>in</strong>es. The FMCEC here was a three-day, 30-hour evolution that educated Mar<strong>in</strong>es and soldiers then tested them with progressively more challeng<strong>in</strong>g practical application portions, said Segu<strong>in</strong>. “It’s amaz<strong>in</strong>g <strong>to</strong> watch … how much they will have picked up,” said H<strong>in</strong>es. The improvement will allow them <strong>to</strong> become vital <strong>to</strong>ols <strong>in</strong> the effort <strong>to</strong> identify and s<strong>to</strong>p bomb makers and <strong>in</strong>surgents, creat<strong>in</strong>g a safer operat<strong>in</strong>g environment for all forward-deployed forces, as well as strengthen<strong>in</strong>g domestic and <strong>in</strong>ternational borders, he said. “It saves lives know<strong>in</strong>g who these bad guys are,” said H<strong>in</strong>es. ok<strong>in</strong>awa mar<strong>in</strong>e | FEAT Biometrics becomes next battlefield Lance Cpl. Derrick Carr, military policeman, Military Police Company, CLR-37, documents a site used for bomb mak<strong>in</strong>g dur<strong>in</strong>g the forensic material collection and exploitation course <strong>in</strong> the Central Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g Area March 8. Carr pho<strong>to</strong>graphed the site before collect<strong>in</strong>g bomb mak<strong>in</strong>g materials. Dust<strong>in</strong>g for f<strong>in</strong>gerpr<strong>in</strong>ts on a table used for bomb mak<strong>in</strong>g at a tactical site dur<strong>in</strong>g the forensic material collection and exploitation course <strong>in</strong> the Central Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g Area is one step used <strong>to</strong> capture biometric data. Pho<strong>to</strong>graphs and notes area also a means <strong>to</strong> collect material and document the scene. Mar<strong>in</strong>es with Military pho<strong>to</strong>graph<strong>in</strong>g and rec <strong>in</strong> the Central Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g Mar<strong>in</strong>es with Milita Company, Combat L Regiment 37, 3rd M Group, III Mar<strong>in</strong>e Ex Force, <strong>in</strong>terview an the role of an Afgha was present at a tac suspected of bomb the forensic materia and exploitation co Central Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g Are tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g teaches Ma process personnel f sites along with pro sites for biometric d
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