Naval Weapons Station Yorktown Conducts Joint Exercise with York County

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS120410-22
4/10/2012

By Mark O. Piggott, Naval Weapons Station Yorktown Public Affairs

YORKTOWN, Va. (NNS) -- Emergency responders from Naval Weapons Station (WPNSTA) Yorktown joined forces with emergency response assets from York County during Exercise Solid Curtain/Citadel Shield (SC-CS), March 20.

The exercise included a simulated vehcile explosion at the truck inspection station, which resulted in the simulated death of the driver and two Sailors and injuring four others-was designed to assess WPNSTA Yorktown's ability to respond to a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) attack.

"This was a quick reaction, scenario-driven exercise, designed to train and evaluate emergency first responders, which includes the anti-terrorism/force protection, emergency management, fire, safety and emergency services," said Capt. Lowell Crow, commanding efficer, WPNSTA Yorktown. "This exercise is vital to our ability to execute our mission to support the warfighters and to protect all our people from an immediate threat to their safety."

Another purpose of this exercise was to assess WPNSTA Yorktown Installation Training Team's (ITT) ability to exercise and evaluate the ITT in a rapid assessment and response to a VBIED attack. According to Cathy McLeod, WPNSTA Yorktown training officer, the exercise evaluated installation-wide knowledge, understanding and implementation of instructions and operating procedures, especially in coordination with assets from York County.

"This exercise with York County was very important in order to put into play our MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) we have established with them, and to react in a joint force to an emergency," McLeod said.
"Exercises like this give us a better working relationship with the military and other agencies, improving communication and coordination in any emergency situation," said Jeffery Payne, battalion chief, York County Fire and Life Safety.

Another critical element in the exercise is the training of military reservists. Personnel from Navy Security Force Yorktown Reserve Unit are augmenting the base security force during SC-CS.

"The Navy Security Reserve Forces conduct their annual training time integrated as an active duty component, specifically during these exercises to enhance their ability to stand any assigned security post," McLeod said. "In real world the Reserve Force has been trained to man any assigned active duty post in the Security department when needed."

Exercise Solid Curtain/Citadel Shield 2012 is not in response to any specific threat, but is a regularly scheduled exercise. The annual exercise is coordinated by U.S. Fleet Forces Command in Norfolk and the Navy Installations Command in Washington, D.C.