A perpetrator unlawfully enters Naval Air Station Whiting Field leading security forces on a chase to a building. Upon entering the suspect shoots two individuals and barricades himself inside the facility. Fortunately this was only a training scenario for the men and women serving on Whiting Field.
“It’s our annual Solid Curtain-Citadel Shield exercise,” said LT Stephen E. Pakola, a security officer on Whiting Field. It is designed with an intent to test our anti-terrorism and law enforcement response capability.”
Click here to veiw photos from the security exercise
Pakola said the security exercise, which took place on Tuesday, encompasses the entire Naval installation.
Not only did security officer participate but other first response agencies, including the installation’s fire department and emergency medical services, were also involved in the security exercise.
Pakola said the exercise is also geared to test communications with responding officers on the ground and their command staff. Like with most training exercises, the goal is to identify areas which can be approved.
“At the end of the day we can train our guys to the best of our abilities, but a wrench is always thrown into the plan or something comes in from left field,” Pakola said. “With these scenarios…when we get to collaborate together with other agencies, they get to get together and identify deficiencies, identify shortfalls in training and areas where we need to focus on to help make us an effective response post.”
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: NAS Whiting Field personnel undergo security exercise (PHOTOS)