The National Guard's 53rd Infantry Brigade is used to deploying to keep Americans safe, but their deployment at the end of August will be much closer to home.
At Camp Blanding, near Starke, the soldiers trained for scenarios they could be sent to in and around the predominately downtown Tampa Republican National Convention to keep residents and visitors safe in their first stateside deployment in 2 years.
"This medivac training -- medical evacuation," CPT. Daniel Brown said, "we do it whether you're at wartime or peacetime." As the U.S. continues a war in Afghanistan, the training is an annual occurrence that sharpens their skills for the war, but now also for the RNC.
Having been deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq and Kuwait, the soldiers have experience in volatile environments, and though the convention is in no way a war zone, the soldiers will be prepared to respond to any situation during the event. "It's good for me [and] good for my unit," Brown said. "We're always ready to step up and do some state active duty."
For security reasons, the Guard couldn't speak to which soldiers would patrol the RNC, but whomever gets assigned will look to not have to use their weapons. "People in the United States, they're our family," SFC. Kenneth Lovett said. "When we move into the RNC, it will be with a different approach ... a much more mild posture."
"Don't react back to them and let them do their thing," SGT. Daniel Desorcy said. But that isn't an admission of being unprepared if a show or use of force is necessary. "If it gets too violent, you do what you got to do. If they yell at you, just let it go."
The soldiers hope to be a calming presence at the massive event, but are prepared for hecklers, protesters and rioters if needed.