NSAW Passes Regional Security Assessment

Photo By Andrew Revelos | MA3 Alvaro Chavezdirzo, Naval Support Activity Washington Security Forces, runs to place traffic cones during Regional Assessment (RASS) drills at Naval Support Facility (NSF) Arlington on July 26 as MAC Stephen Barrette evaluates.  

WASHINGTON NAVY YARD, DC, UNITED STATES

08.01.2023

Story by Andrew Revelos 

Naval Support Activity Washington

Naval Support Activity Washington (NSAW) passed its Regional Assessment (RASS) visit after a series of drills evaluated by Naval District Washington (NDW) on July 24-28. The operational assessment and its exercises occurred at the U.S. Naval Observatory, Naval Support Facility (NSF) Arlington and the Washington Navy Yard; the latter drill saw the command activate its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to deal with a simulated improvised explosive device (IED) threat and active shooter. The command’s solid performance was the product of several months’ preparation.

“This was a big achievement for our Security Forces, Training Team and EOC,” said NSAW Commanding Officer Capt. Mark Burns. “I know a lot of hard work went into getting ready and executing the drill package, and I really appreciate everyone’s effort. I’m proud of our performance and want to keep up the momentum for FEP. We’ve got to continue doing the right things and keep improving.”

While Burns focused his praise on Security Forces, he also included all members of the command whose support helped in passing RASS. “Thank you to all the non-Security folks that had significant input to this past week’s success,” he said. “Many hands made light work. This RASS touched each and every one of us…success was due to all of us acting as a family.”

The RASS is in the middle of the Navy’s three-part regular training and certification cycle for shore installations; the other components are the Command Assessment for Review and Training (CART) and the Final Evaluation Problem (FEP), scheduled for this winter.

For NSAW Security Officer Lt. Cmdr. Hector Sierracortes, passing the RASS validated his team’s approach to securing the Quarterdeck of the Navy, as well as NSAW’s other critical responsibilities in the National Capital Region (NCR).

“The Security Forces team did an outstanding job with this assessment,” he said. “The personnel and resources we protect, the acreage NSA Washington is responsible for, are unlike anything else in the Navy and I’m proud of how everyone stepped up to the plate.”

Like Burns, Sierracortes expressed pride for the accomplishment, but also leavened the accolades with the need to keep up the fight. “Assessments and improving are a continuous cycle, though, and our next evaluation is coming,” he continued. “I want our team to take pride in what we’ve accomplished, but I also want everyone to keep in mind that we’ve got to keep up the improvement and maintain our focus 24/7. We protect more than 110 critical tenant commands and activities in the NCR; we can’t take our foot off the gas.”

• Date Taken: 08.01.2023
• Date Posted: 08.14.2023 13:12
• Story ID: 451332
• Location: WASHINGTON NAVY YARD, DC, US