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Guam kicks off anti-terrorism exercise
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Posted on Sep 12 2008
GUAM – Members of the Guam National Guard, the island’s first response community, business community and military liaisons from all armed forces, kicked off a multi-state National Guard Bureau homeland security exercise here yesterday as those on the U.S. mainland memorialized the worst terrorist attack on American soil.
Vigilant Guard Guam simulates a mock terrorist attack on the island and U.S. territory with its population of nearly 180,000.
“The things that we are doing here are not just pretend,” said Maj. Gen. Donald Goldhorn, the adjutant general of Guam. This exercise will greatly benefit everyone on Guam to help us better prepare for potential future threats, added Goldhorn.
“It’s ironic that today we recognize 9/11 on the mainland and that we are kicking off this exercise. Seven years ago today it was very, very real, and we have to remember that and keep that as part of our focus,” said Goldhorn.
Vigilant Guard is a regional exercise program sponsored by the National Guard Bureau. The program provides an opportunity for State National Guard Joint Force Headquarters, State Joint Task Forces and Field Units to improve command and control and operational relationships with internal, regional civilian, federal operational relationships with internal, regional civilian, federal and military partners against homeland security threats.
In addition, throughout Sept., Guam will join the nation in the celebrating National Preparedness Month and will continue to remind our residents of the importance of planning and preparing for natural and man-made disasters such as typhoons, earthquakes and tsunamis, floods and terrorist events, according to a Guam Homeland Security press release.[B][I] (PR)[/I][/B]
