WPNSTA Yorktown holds active shooter exercise as part of Citadel Shield-Solid Curtain 2015

Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Chase Hawley | Naval Weapon Station Yorktown security forces, York county and Newport police forces respond to a simulated active shooter as part of exercise Solid Curtain - Citadel Shield 2015 (SC-CP15) at Naval Weapon Station Yorktown. SC-CS is an annual force protection and anti-terrorism exercise designed to enhance the training and readiness of Navy security forces to respond to threats to installations and units. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Chase Hawley/Released)  

YORKTOWN, VA, UNITED STATES

02.03.2015

Courtesy Story

U.S. Navy           

YORKTOWN, Va. -- Crisis response forces from Naval Weapons Station (WPNSTA) Yorktown teamed up with Newport News and York county police forces for an “active shooter” exercise as part of the annual Solid Curtain - Citadel Shield 2015 (SC-CS15) exercise at WPNSTA Yorktown Feb. 2.

SC-CS is an annual force protection and anti-terrorism (FP/AT) exercise designed to enhance the training and readiness of Navy security forces to respond to threats to installations and units. The exercise uses realistic scenarios to ensure U.S. Navy security forces maintain a high level of readiness to respond to changing and dynamic threats.

WPNSTA Yorktown security forces responded to a simulated hostage situation involving two armed suspects at the base chapel. The security forces coordinated with York country and Newport News police to resolve the situation. Navy explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) personnel were also on site to disarm a simulated bomb that had been attached to a hostage.

According to Master-at-Arms Chief Kelvin Lee, WPNSTA Yorktown’s anti-terrorism team leader, the exercise aimed to help the base’s security and local police forces better integrate under a unified command to coordinate and resolve the active shooter simulation.

As an annual exercise, SC-CS allows military and civilian responders alike to hone emergency skills as threats evolve, but in a safe environment, much like any other military evolution.

"Solid Curtain-Citadel Shield 2015 provides an opportunity to assess the Navy's ability to respond to and recover from a broad spectrum of antiterrorism threats," said Capt. Greg Sandway, USFF ATFP exercise director. "One of the key components of the exercise is to improve our ability to protect our Navy equities, but this exercise also enables us to integrate with the emergency responders from the various local communities and establish coordinated response and recovery procedures that are mutually beneficial."

Exercise SC-CS is the largest force protection exercise across the Department of Defense and is conducted by Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces (USFF) and Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC). It consists of roughly 130 simultaneous field training exercise attacks across the country.

SC-CS15 is not in response to any specific threat, but is a regularly scheduled exercise.

• Date Taken: 02.03.2015
• Date Posted: 02.03.2015 17:29
• Story ID: 153434
• Location: YORKTOWN, VA, US