Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall conducted a full scale exercise Sept. 20, testing base emergency preparedness, response capability and recovery resources. It was conducted in support of the Military District of Washington's 10-day Capital Shield exercise.
"The commander wanted to see us motivated, communicating and executing the mission," said Malanya Westmoreland, JBM-HH Emergency Management specialist.
In the exercise scenario, three gunmen opened fire at a notional joint service conference hosted at the Headquarters Marine Corps Supply Office. The notional conference's topic: Improving JBM-HH security in light of the joint base's role in supporting the 58th Presidential Inauguration.
"This is the world that we live in now, and everyone has to be prepared," said Lt. Troy Dennison, chief of operations for JBM-HH Police.
During the exercise, it took law enforcement just minutes to arrive on scene, set up a cordon and neutralize the threat. Coordinating efforts included setting up a unified incident command center for law enforcement and fire department officials.
"In a situation like this we immediately execute our Memorandum of Agreement with Arlington County Police Department, Pentagon Force Protection Agency, U.S. Park Police, the FBI and CID," said Capt. Jason Hazzard, JBM-HH police department. "A full scale exercise of this kind requires occupants of buildings on the installation to refine their active shooter plans and procedures, and also allows law enforcement to refine our procedures to keep the installation safe and secure."
"It's rehearsed chaos, but that's where our training comes in," said Scott Gould, JBM-HH Battalion Fire Chief. "Time was of the essence setting up an emergency triage area evacuating victims. We train in order to respond to large scale incidents and provide our service."
Meanwhile, an emergency operations center (EOC) was established at the joint base headquarters. Increased security measures and a lock down were simulated at JBM-HH and other installations throughout the National Capital Region.
"The EOC becomes the hub of the installation, and within the first hour, so much is happening simultaneously behind the scenes," said Westmoreland. "Communication for this scale of an exercise moves horizontally and vertically, up, down and across the chain."
The exercise, which included volunteer role players, was completed in accordance with Army Regulation 525-27, the Army Emergency Management Program and the U.S. Army Installation Management Command's (IMCOM) exercise evaluation guide (EEG), Westmoreland said.
"We're required to execute 30 capabilities," she said.
The tasks include community preparedness and participation, emergency public safety and security response, intelligence and information sharing, critical infrastructure protection, emergency public information and warning, mass care and onsite incident management.
A full-scale exercise of its kind does more than just test the joint base's response capabilities, but also challenges everyone across the joint base to be more alert to their surroundings.
"We wanted to see how well the general public reacted to an active shooter incident. Even for those who were far away from the site, there is a responsibility that extends installation-wide. There are things that should be happening internally in every building and office," Westmoreland said.
It is a constant reality for JBM-HH police Officers Tyrone Smith, Jr. and Djibril Diallo, who were the first to arrive at the scene of the shooting.
"Your heart is racing, your adrenaline is going, and you just don't know where the threat could be if you don't hear the gunfire," Smith said. "That's why we train things like this, to remain prepared."
Diallo said there is no such thing as too much training.
"You can never pre-plan for an active shooter incident enough, and we continue to push this message," Diallo said. "At the end of the day, it's about preservation of life."
Pentagram Staff Writer Arthur Mondale can be reached at awright@dcmilitary.com.
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