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Citadel Pacific enhances security of Guam installations
ASAN, Guam—U.S. Navy and Air Force service members and personnel throughout the U.S. Pacific Command area of responsibility including Guam tested their anti-terrorism plans and response during Exercise Citadel Pacific 2014 from Aug. 25 to 29.
Joint Region Marianas, U.S. Naval Base Guam, Andersen Air Force Base, U.S. Naval Hospital Guam, and USS Oklahoma City participated in the annual exercise to enhance the training and readiness of security forces to respond to threats to the installation and units.
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- U.S. Naval Hospital Guam personnel assist a role player of an active-shooter training during a mass casualty exercise at the facility. (U.S. NAVY/JOANNA DELFIN )
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- U.S. Naval Hospital Guam personnel assist personnel role playing victims of an active-shooter training during a mass casualty exercise at the facility. (U.S. NAVY/JOANNA DELFIN )
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- U.S. Naval Base Guam Fire Emergency Services personnel help an individual role-playing a victim during an active-shooter training at the Joint Region Marianas headquarters. (U.S. NAVY/JOANNA DELFIN )
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- U.S. Naval Base Guam Security and Fire Emergency Services personnel help individuals role playing victims during an active-shooter training at the Joint Region Marianas headquarters. (U.S. NAVY/JOANNA DELFIN )
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- U.S. Naval Base Guam Security personnel simulate a vehicle-based improvised explosive device during an exercise at the installation. (U.S. NAVY/LEAH ECLAVEA)
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- Master-at-Arms 3rd Class Matthew Ohrvall, U.S. Naval Base Security, and military working dog Lady inspect a vehicle during a vehicle-based improvised explosive device exercise at the base. (U.S. NAVY/LEAH ECLAVEA)
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- A simulated active shooter takes a role player hostage after shooting two others during an active-shooter training at the Joint Region Marianas headquarters. (U.S. NAVY/JOANNA DELFIN )
“It’s to prepare us for real-world type events and these scenarios here were based on incidents that have happened in the past,” said JRM security officer Gregory Jacobs. “The focus will be to train our personnel to ensure that they can respond accordingly and they can take appropriate actions.”
During the exercise, a simulated active-shooter event was held at the JRM headquarters where three individuals were pronounced dead at the scene and seven others severely wounded and transported to USNH Guam. Hospital Commanding Officer Capt. Jeannie Comlish said the mass casualty drill held in response to the simulated active-shooter incident was an excellent opportunity for her staff to test their readiness and response in the new facility.
“This is our first opportunity to really test the building and test how our staff work within the building to flow patients to the places they need to go,” she said. “We are clinically ready. We have an excellent staff and our clinical skills are outstanding, and we’re here to take care of patients and provide that exceptional care.”
Comlish added the exercise not only assessed the response of everyone involved but the partnership between different commands and agencies.
“I think that practicing and drilling and working together at times when it’s not a reality…helps all of us for a time when disasters catch us off guard,” she said. “They identify what we’re doing really well and how we can communicate as partnership in a community.”
