CNIC Partners with JIEDDO NCOE for Citadel Shield 2013

CORONADO, Calif. (NNS) -- Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC) N7 partnered with Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO) - Navy Center of Excellence (NCOE) for the planning and execution of exercise Citadel Shield, Feb. 19 - March 1.

Citadel Shield is an annual capstone Anti-Terrorism (AT) Field Training Exercise that provides a means for CNIC to exercise and assess Navy AT Program readiness, while enhancing the training and preparedness of Navy security personnel across the continental U.S. (CONUS).

Leveraging a partnership that was established in May 2012, CNIC and JIEDDO NCOE teamed up to enhance the realism of this year's exercise. In the months leading up to the exercise, JIEDDO NCOE staff technicians collaborated with CNIC exercise planners at all six CONUS regions in order to gain insight into the regions' planned exercise scenarios. Utilizing the information gathered along with support requests from the region planners, JIEDDO NCOE staff members developed hyper-realistic training aides for use in the exercise.

In all, JIEDDO NCOE provided more than 20 hyper-realistic training aides, including a wide array of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to include: vehicle-borne IEDs, person-borne IEDs, water-borne IEDs, radio controlled IEDs, victim operated IEDs and suspicious package IEDs. A large portion of the hyper-realistic training aides developed by JIEDDO NCOE were authentic simulations of real-world IEDs, providing a training environment that matched the operational environment.

Naval Base Coronado first-responders were participants in one of the events supported by JIEDDO NCOE hyper-realistic training aides. After receiving a simulated report of a suspicious package onboard the installation, dispatch directed security personnel to Naval Base Coronado's Juliet Pier to investigate. Upon arrival on scene, security personnel located the package and exercised standard operating procedures for suspicious package incidents. The area was cordoned off and a perimeter was established to create a minimum standoff distance while Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Detachment support was requested.

Dave Busby, Naval Base Coronado's Installation training officer said the training was extremely successful. "Today's event gave our first-responders the opportunity to train together in an environment whose realism would only be matched by a real-world incident," stated Busby.

Naval Base Point Loma also hosted one of the JIEDDO NCOE supported events. First-responders reported to the simulated scene of a water-borne IED post-detonation after one of JIEDDO NCOE's hyper-realistic training aides had "exploded." Following the loud reverberation, security personnel maneuvered through the simulated smoke to secure the scene and defend from a potential follow on attack. Simultaneously, fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel arrived on scene to triage and render first aid to casualties.

Citadel Shield was designed to train and test security force personnel throughout a number of force protection scenarios. Scenarios ranged from identifying surveillance to large-scale, multifaceted threats to include homegrown violent extremist and active shooter/hostage scenarios. Security forces were assessed on their response to the emerging threats.

Training evolutions like Citadel Shield are important elements of the readiness area of the 21st Century Sailor and Marine initiative, which consolidates a set of objectives and policies, new and existing, to maximize Sailor and Marine personal readiness, build resiliency and hone the most combat-effective force in the history of the Department.

Exercise Citadel Shield is an annually scheduled exercise and is not conducted in response to any specific threat.

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