PATRIOT exercise gears up at Gulfport CRTC

Photo By Master Sgt. Roland Sturm | A U.S. Air Force CCATT (Critical Care Air Transport Team) crew assigned to multiple Air National Guard units provide in-flight medical care to a trauma training manikin on board of a C-17 Globemaster during Patriot South 2020 at the Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center in Gulfport, Miss., Feb. 27, 2020. PATRIOT is a Domestic Operations disaster-response training exercise conducted by National Guard units working with federal, state and local emergency management agencies and first responders. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Technical Sgt. L. Roland Sturm)  

GULFPORT, MS, UNITED STATES

02.29.2020

Story by Staff Sgt. Wendy Kuhn 

121st Air Refueling Wing

GULFPORT, Miss. – Approximately 1,400 personnel from federal, state and local entities are coming together for PATRIOT South 20, a Domestic Operations (DOMOPS) training exercise sponsored by the National Guard Bureau at multiple locations including the Combined Arms Combat Training Facility (CACTF) at Camp Shelby, Miss., the Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center (CRTC), Miss., Camp McCain in Grenada County, Miss., and Guardian Centers in Perry Ga., from Mar. 2 – 5, 2020.

PATRIOT is an annual exercise that will focus on joint coordination of local, state and federal organizations to work together in response to a natural or man-made emergency. Additionally, it will test the combined entities' abilities to respond and gain relevant, realistic and innovative training for natural disasters using simulated emergency scenarios such as hurricane response, creating collapsed buildings, mass casualties and the need for search and rescue.

“During PATRIOT, the focus is practicing the way we would respond to a natural or man-made disaster,” said Lt. Col. Roger Brooks IV, PATRIOT South 20 Director. “We're exercising Department of Defense and emergency management agency plans to build relationships and partnerships within the local community to ease any potential suffering.”

Participants in the exercise include National Guard Soldiers and Airmen in various career fields from over 30 states, Mississippi Department of Public Health, the Red Cross, Team Rubicon, Forrest General Hospital and Keesler Medical Center.

“I appreciate the state of Mississippi, the National Guard Bureau, and all the partners from multiple states across the U.S. for coming together and making this happen,” said Brooks.

• Date Taken: 02.29.2020
• Date Posted: 02.29.2020 15:18
• Story ID: 364218
• Location: GULFPORT, MS, US