Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Va., -- Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, along with its tenants and partners, conducted a training exercise on Wednesday, April 13, at both the Myer and McNair sides of the joint base. Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Chief of Operations Troy Dennison, who spearheaded the exercise, said it is used to simulate crisis conditions in the most realistic manner possible to replicate a real world event.
Conducted semi-annually, the scenario-driven functional scale exercise happens in a real-time environment and is intended to provide stress and pressure to the participants.
“The purpose of our training exercise is to test and evaluate JBM-HH’s ability to respond to an emergency,” said Dennison. “The exercise will focus on communication, appropriate number of forces needed to conduct Force Protection Condition - Delta measures, barrier plans, critical transportation coordination and mass notifications, as well as a threat working group and overall common operating picture within the emergency operations center.”
Dennison said in the six months leading up to event execution numerous meetings were held with selected trusted agent personnel to develop a master scenario event list and plausible scenario that would test JBM-HH.
“The scenario is generated from previous Joint Task Force – National Capital Region and U.S. Army Installation Management Command Headquarters assessments and training exercises,” said Dennison. “The scenario was chosen to address previous deficiencies and areas of improvement.”
The functional exercise, which began shortly after 8 a.m. eastern standard time, was announced over the joint base’s external loudspeaker, commonly referred to as ‘the Giant Voice’, as well in multiple methods of information dissemination including social media.
In his first brief to Joint Base Commander Col. David Bowling, after the exercise commenced, Base Operations Director Dallas Lockley detailed the scenario as an armed attack by hostile actors. The attack caused significant damage to all four major bridges going into the District of Columbia and resulted in an increased threat level.
After receiving an alert that 14th Street, Memorial, Francis Scott Key and Roosevelt bridges were significantly damaged, representatives from various directorates reported immediately to the installation’s emergency operations center as part of the crisis action team (CAT) and worked diligently to meet the commander’s top priorities of security, life, health, safety and incident stabilization.
Meanwhile members of the crisis management team (CMT), which consisted of directors and their deputies, stood up a threat, response, and recovery working group to discuss how to bring the installation from Force Protection Condition - Bravo to Force Protection Condition - Delta per guidance from Joint Task Force-National Capital Region/U.S. Army Military District of Washington Commander Maj. Gen. Allan M. Pepin.
“The incident separated the Fort Myer and Fort McNair sides of the joint base so as a result we had the Department of Emergency Services (DES) close the gates and initiate the barrier implementation plan at building 59 on Fort Myer and the housing area on Fort McNair,” said Lockley. “Thirteen United States Marines and one DES employee were deployed from Fort Myer to Fort McNair via Army Aviation and upon arrival, assumed their posts and duties.”
As the scenario progressed, the CMT looked at both the mission essential functions and priorities of response and recovery. In a real world situation the CMT would have developed the disaster response team that the Directorate of Public Works would lead as the subject matter experts in regard to infrastructure, with support from directorates such as DES, Andrew Rader U.S. Army Health Clinic and a representative from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to inspect damages.
One challenge for the CMT was balancing the real world day-to-day emergency requirements and director availability for the CMT portion of the exercise. Col. Bowling emphasized that it is about the team and mission.
“Our people should be comfortable empowering subordinate leaders no matter what directorate you are in. You have an obligation to teach, coach and mentor your subordinates so they can fill in and do your job when you are not there.”
In his closing comments Bowling said the functional exercise fully met the intent and far exceeded his expectations. “I am proud of the team and appreciate all of the hard work that went into this,” said Bowling.
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