NORFOLK, Va. — Navy installations in the United States will conduct anti-terrorism exercises starting on Monday.
Exercise Citadel Shield - Solid Curtain 2019 (CS-SC 19) is a two-part, linked anti-terrorism force protection exercise conducted by Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command and Commander, Navy Installations Command on all Navy installations.
Various scenarios could involve active shooters, gate-runners and weapons of mass destruction.
"It's the training and the readiness of our security forces that we're looking at to really make sure we've got the tactics, techniques and procedures down pat," said CAPT Jonathan Kline, commander, Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads.
Rear Adm. Charles Rock is commander Navy Region Mid-Atlantic. He said the training is vital.
"The purpose of this exercise is to continue to train at a very high level and ensure our security forces are positioned to protect the installation," he said.
Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads and Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story plan to conduct an active shooter drill on Tuesday. Naval Support Activity's simulation will be at 9 a.m. at Lafayette River Annex as part of the anti-terrorism exercise, while the JEB Little Creek-Fort story will take place at 1:30 p.m.
“The exercise tests our ability to execute the Navy’s mission in support of Homeland Defense,” said Rock. “Through various scenarios, the exercise is designed to enhance the readiness of our Security Forces and it ensures seamless interoperability among the commands, other services, and agency partners so that we are able to protect our people, equipment and facilities.”
In 2013, tragedy struck for real, when a gunman got into the Washington Navy Yard and killed 12 people.
Tragedy struck again in 2014 when Master-at-Arms 2nd Class Mark Mayo was shot and killed aboard the USS Mahan by a civilian who drove a truck through Gate 5 at Naval Station Norfolk and boarded the ship while it was docked at Pier 1.
"Not a day goes by that we don't think of Petty Officer Mayo," said Rock. "And we're in a better position than we were of leveraging some of the painful lessons of the past to ensure that we're in a better position to protect our people."
The exercise is not a response to any threat, it's just a regularly scheduled annual exercise.
“During the two-week duration, there may be increased activity on and around our installations across the region,” Rock said. “Our installations and local government partners work very closely together to help mitigate unnecessary disruptions to local traffic and services.”
The Navy has taken measures to minimize disruptions within local communities, but there may be times when the exercise will cause an increase in traffic around installations or delay in installation access.
Residents are warned that they may see or hear security activities associated with the exercise, but they are reminded that it's just an exercise.
The CS-SC 19 will end on February 15.