Naval Station Great Lakes Participates in Citadel Shield-Solid Curtain 2021

Photo By John Sheppard | GREAT LAKES, Illinois (Feb. 1, 2021) The installation training team monitors exercise play on the first day of Exercise Citadel Shield - Solid Curtain 2021. Exercise Citadel Shield - Solid Curtain 2021 is a two-part, anti-terrorism force protection exercise that is being conducted nationwide on Navy installations, Feb. 1-12. The annual exercise is not in response to any specific threat, but is used to evaluate the readiness of fleet and installation security programs. (U.S. Navy photo by John Sheppard/Released)  

GREAT LAKES, IL, UNITED STATES

02.03.2021

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Brigitte Johnston 

Naval Station Great Lakes

GREAT LAKES, Ill. (February 3, 2021) – Navy installations across the country are participating in an annual two-week force protection exercise, Feb. 1-12.
Exercise Citadel Shield-Solid Curtain 2020 is conducted by Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command and Commander, Navy Installations Command on all Navy installations in the continental U.S., including Naval Station Great Lakes.
On Feb. 2, the NSGL installation training team, led by Installation Training Officer Mark Wegge, conducted an active shooter drill that evaluated information dissemination, individual response plans, security force response, and the ability to coordinate with local emergency responders and the community. A simulated gate runner charged the gate to Bldg. 1 wherein a simulated hostage situation involving the commanding officer, Capt. Ray Leung, took place. Naval Security Forces and Great Lakes Police used negotiation techniques to bring the simulated suspect to surrender.
“This scenario was a good opportunity for our security team to practice how to respond to an active shooter situation,” said Leung. “Our security forces responded exactly as they were trained. Our goal is to be ready for anything.”
The local community was informed prior to the exercise, warning of traffic, sirens, and other possible minor disturbances that could affect the area. The use of outdoor warning sirens is used in lockdown procedures to inform the base to lock down or shelter in place.
“We used all the tools for warning the base that we have at our disposal,” said Willie Ramsey, NSGL’s emergency management officer. “Using AtHoc messaging and Giant Voice prepares Great Lakes and the surrounding community for a real world situation.”
During the exercise, the training team and participants exercised COVID-19 protection measures such as masks and limiting to people in each space to only those necessary.
“Training opportunities throughout the pandemic have been challenging, but not impossible to execute,” said Wegge. “Through thorough planning, Great Lakes was able to create a safe training environment despite the challenges caused by COVID-19.”
Exercise Citadel Shield-Solid Curtain 2021 is a regularly scheduled exercise that reinforces the need for everyone to maintain a force protection mindset and a readiness to respond to threats. We encourage personnel to remain aware of their surroundings throughout the exercise and to not assume that any suspicious activity is part of the exercise. Community members are asked to report any suspicious activity to Great Lakes Police at [phone] for non-emergencies and to call 911 for emergencies.
For updates during the exercise, visit the base’s Facebook account at www.facebook.com/NavalStationGreatLakes, and the base’s Twitter account at twitter.com/navstaglakes.
For imagery from the exercise, please visit https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/cssc21

• Date Taken: 02.03.2021
• Date Posted: 02.03.2021 12:22
• Story ID: 388258
• Location: GREAT LAKES, IL, US