Wright-Patt holds readiness exercise

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WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio --  On Wednesday, due to an increased force protection exercise, the installation implemented a process where the base gates were locked down for an extended amount of time.

The installation frequently conducts complex exercises to test its ability to protect, defend and respond to a variety of incidents and responses.

Base leaders directed the exercise enhanced security protocols across the installation during a scenario involving an explosion adjacent to the 88th Air Base Wing Civil Engineer Directorate's Building 11, located in Area A. It soon became apparent to first responders that an improvised radiological dispersal device was involved.

The scenario that unfolded before the watchful eyes of evaluators coincided with Ardent Sentry 2012, a Joint Exercise Program NORAD and U.S. Northern Command Tier 1 exercise event, supported by the Joint Staff Joint and Coalition Warfighting. Air Force Materiel Command's Crisis Action Team also oversaw reaction of AFMC bases to a variety of simulated threats.

"The decision to completely lock down Wright-Patt is not one we take lightly, but my first priorities will always be the safety and security of our people and the preservation of our mission capability," said Col. Amanda Gladney, 88th ABW commander. "I do recognize this exercise, for some of our folks may have caused an inconvenience. However, we have to test our procedures in order to better understand them and to train and equip all of our personnel across the installation and not just our emergency responders."

Typically during a force protection exercises, gates are locked down just long enough to demonstrate the capability, often for only a few minutes. AFMC leaders sought during Ardent Sentry to more realistically test the many restrictive actions imposed by FPCON actions. Security Forces stopped all traffic not directly involved in the emergency response and exercise evaluators directed persons who attempted to head out to lunch or a regularly scheduled meetings to return back inside buildings.

"Preparedness, readiness and force protection is serious business. There are those who are determined to do us harm. We must be just as determined to deny them the opportunity," Colonel Gladney added. "That's what this is all about."

Base firefighters, bioenvironmental engineers, explosive ordnance disposal personnel, and radiation safety officers were just some of the people who responded to the simulated explosion, which required base Airmen and employees in several buildings to shelter in place. Other local exercise scenarios across the installation included a Phase I and II deployment and a tornado touchdown which resulted in mass casualties.