Law enforcers answer troops’ call

By G.W. Pomichter
Staff writer

When United States Marine Col. Robbie DuPree of Satellite Beach was told his Marine unit would be deployed to Afghanistan for the war on terror, he wasn’t surprised. Col. DuPree said this was his fourth deployment.

What he did know is that the mission had changed, and required some changes in the way his Marines thought and fought.
“In those first deployments we were out there finding and fighting terrorists ourselves. Now our mission is to work with the Afghan army to help them take control of their own country,” Col. DuPree said.

Because Col. DuPree’s U.S. Marine Equipment and Training Team will be more heavily focused on training Afghan troops them full-scale combat, he and his troops wanted to be able to defend themselves without relying on firearms.

To that end, Col. DuPree said his Marines needed new tools.

“We wanted to add another step in the ‘escalation of force,’” he said. “I tell my Marines: ‘Once you draw your firearm, you’re committed to deadly force.’” We wanted to add a level before that happens.”

Col. DuPree hit upon the idea of using police asps for close hand-to-hand combat. He then called state Sen. Bill Posey, R-Rockledge, to inquire whether he could help equip his men with the same retractable asps used by state and local law enforcement officers.

“When I got the call, it was immediate. I said, anything I could do to help I would,” state Sen. Posey said.

Col. DuPree explained that while his troops are very well equipped, the small collapsible sticks used by law enforcement officers to subdue domestic suspects aren’t a part of their issue because their normal mission is far more deadly and doesn’t require them.

“These will add another level of non-lethal force for us to use before resorting to using deadly force,” Col. DuPree explained.

State Sen. Posey, working with Col. DuPree’s brother Matt of Melbourne, called on local police departments to find out if such things were in their surplus.
Brevard County Sheriff Jack Parker was the first to respond, and gave the team 10 surplus asps.

State Sen. Posey’s hometown of Rockledge added four more to the collection, and the city of Cocoa Beach gave three.

With his 18-man team equipped, Col. Dupree was the one without the collapsible staff weapon.

But not to be outdone by their colleagues, the Cocoa Police Department donated a box of 28 asps to the cause.

“It was amazing. We called for the last one, and they told us to come and get them,” said Matt DuPree. “They said they wanted to make sure there were enough.”

“Yes!” an excited state Sen. Posey said. “That’s what we wanted. To help these guys as much as we could.”

State Sen. Posey turned over the donations at informal visit with Col. DuPree, who was home on “leave” last week before being deployed.

Col. Dupree said the donations demonstrated the support of the community for the troops.

“This is something that helps this specific mission without a huge cost to tax payers,” he said. “And it is a terrific example of how committed the folks at home are to keeping us safe while we’re out there.”

Originally published by Hometown News on November 17, 2006