Photo By Catrina Goddard | First responders at the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant arrive on scene during a...... read more read more
MCALESTER ARMY AMMUNTION PLANT, Okla. — The McAlester Army Ammunition Plant recently conducted a comprehensive antiterrorism exercise, aimed at strengthening and maintaining emergency response capabilities as well as evaluating the installation’s readiness to respond to potential threats.
This emergency response event, conducted on October 9, was a full-scale exercise that involved coordination between MCAAP’s Emergency Services, command leadership, and other support personnel.
The scenario-driven drill simulated a coordinated terrorist attack targeting key infrastructure within the installation. The exercise tested various components of the plant’s emergency response framework, including threat detection, lockdown procedures, communication protocols, and incident command coordination.
“Our highest responsibility is to safeguard the lives of our personnel and the integrity of our mission,” said Col. Curtis Perkins, MCAAP’s commander. “We must train in a way that reflects real-world threats, ensuring that every member of our team knows their role and can respond with confidence and precision under pressure.”
The threat scenario unfolded over several hours and involved simulated causalities, lockdown procedures, and the activation of the installation’s Emergency Operations Center.
MCAAP’s Antiterrorism Specialist, Daniel Alexander, designed the event to challenge all levels of leadership, from entry control point personnel to senior command staff.
“Exercises like this allow us to identify our strengths, weaknesses, and ways to improve,” Alexander said. “It’s not just about reacting to a threat; it’s about practicing and refining every layer of our protective posture.”
Observers from many outside law enforcement agencies and antiterrorism specialists were present to assess the performance of teams and provide feedback on potential areas for growth.
“It’s a constant cycle of planning, training, evaluating, and improving,” Alexander said. “We take that responsibility seriously, and we’ll continue to push ourselves to be better every day.”
Residents in the area may have noticed increased activity around the installation during the exercise, including sirens, vehicle checkpoints, and a visible law enforcement presence. Officials emphasized that these were all part of a planned training event and that there was no actual threat to the installation or community.
The feedback and after-action review process for the antiterrorism exercise is already underway. Teams will use the lessons learned to refine emergency response plans, improve communication protocols, and strengthen areas identified for improvement.
The successful completion of the antiterrorism exercise reinforces MCAAP’s commitment to protecting its people, missions, and the surrounding community through proactive planning, interagency cooperation, and continuous training.
“Today’s drill tested our systems, our people, and our overall capability to respond effectively, demonstrating the professionalism and focus that ensure we remain ready, reliable, and lethal,” Perkins said.
| Date Taken: | 10.14.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 10.14.2025 15:57 |
| Story ID: | 550146 |
| Location: | MCALESTER ARMY AMMUNITION PLANT, OKLAHOMA, US |
| Web Views: | 78 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Readiness in action: MCAAP trains for real-world threats, by Julia Hawkins, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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