U.S. Naval Station Newport security personnel conducted an active-shooter training drill inside the Naval Supply Corps School, located aboard Naval Station Newport, April 8.

Drills like these help military personnel and civilian employees understand the importance of vigilance and immediate responsiveness in the event hostile persons gain access to the base.

"We want to maximize this training opportunity for the initial responders while maintaining a safe environment for the staff and students, said Lt. Ryan Carmack, Security Officer, Naval Supply Corps School. "We provide all hands training on initial responses to an active shooter scenario, which includes defending oneself if necessary."

The exercise began early Wednesday morning when a lone man with a loaded handgun entered the Porter Avenue schoolhouse located near the main entrance gate of the Navy station. With a fake handgun the shooter shouted, "Come out! You cannot hide! I'm going to hurt you!"

Mr. Tim Doherty, a Naval Station Newport security specialist, played the role of the active-shooter wearing a military flak jacket, blue jeans, running shoes and black face mask. He walked the hallways pulling on every door, yelling and firing his pistol loaded with blanks into the air.

"We were told about the exercise in advance, but when it happened I was terrified," said Ens. Thomas Hricisak, of Orwigsburg, Pa., a student attending the Basic Qualification Course at the school. "The room went dark and we all remain silent beneath our desk listening to the screams and weapon firing. It felt very real, and when the police demanded us [students] to open the door, no one in the room would budge."

"We endeavor to add as much realism as possible to these scenarios. We notice each time we conduct these drills people's reaction to the shooter and security personnel is borderline terrifying," said Mr. Barry Spaulding, Naval Station Newport police training officer. "They honestly do not expect the level of intensity we infuse into the scenario. This level of realism is intentional so that our emergency responders, as well as command personnel get the point that this, a very bad incident, can happen and how we train to respond to such an incident directly corresponds to the level of injury or loss of life in the aftermath of an active-shooter incident."

Base security personnel responded to the active-shooter drill by entering the building in a squad formation, working collectively to maintain a 360-degree view of their approach path to the shooter's yelling. Once in their line of sight they instantly fired their weapons at the hostile, simulating wounding shots that disabled the shooter's legs sending him falling to the ground. Security officers surrounded the shooter, disarmed him, and immediately began looking for other potential hostiles in the building. Every classroom was searched, students were removed from the building by single file lines and searched one by one ensuring positive identification and their respective wellness.

"I fully support and appreciate all the planning and coordination that goes into making these important active-training scenarios successful. Naval Supply Corps School military and civilian staff as well as our students reacted professionally and according to our active-shooter/sheltering-in-place plan," said Captain Kristen B. Fabry, commanding officer, Naval Supply Corps School. "While no organization ever wants harm to come to their people, this training is necessary to ensure everyone reacts in a unified manner while responding to hostility."

Exercises like this show that Naval Station Newport is committed to providing a safe living and working environment for the city of Newport and other surrounding communities.

"This training is vital for the safety and protection of our active military and civilian employees here on board Naval Station Newport," Spaulding commented at the conclusion of the drill.

For more news from Center for Service Support, visit www.navy.mil/.