MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT, San Diego -- Marines, sailors and emergency personnel conducted a base-wide training exercise May 25 at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego.
The depot, along with all Marine Corps installations, is directed by Headquarters Marine Corps to conduct an annual training exercise to test and evaluate emergency management operations to improve coordination, command and control, and recovery from any number of potential threats.
This year’s training scenario, Aztec Fury, was formulated based on increased numbers of armed threats nationwide.
“We decided due to incidents that have happened in the past, along with Fort Hood and active shooters on military installations, to do an active shooter mass casualty, with a hostage situation,” said Mr. Craig Hunnewell, lead exercise coordinator for Aztec Fury.
The ‘Fury’ began around 8 a.m. when two guards were disabled as a vehicle breached their gate. Then, the vehicle tore through a simulated commanding general’s event just inside the gate, resulting in multiple injuries.
“The main objective was to see how first responders reacted to the situation and acted with other agencies,” said Hunnewell. Shortly after the car crashed into the simulated CG’s event, MCRD’s military police arrived to assist the personnel acting as wounded victims, followed by the San Diego Metropolitan Fire department.
Responders also included the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and Emergency Negotiation Team (ENT), said Hunnewell.
The controlled chaos continued when the shooter took a Marine hostage inside the CG’s building. Then parameters and controls were set up to talk to the shooter.
“You can’t just rush in because he could take the hostage out,” said Hunnewell.
The FBI placed a phone at the door where the Marine was being held. The ENT’s job, out in town or on a military installation, is to try and reason with the hostile, said Hunnewell. When negotiations failed, the FBI retrieved the hostage by force, saving him and taking the shooter into custody.
The exercise concluded before noon and although it was short in terms of duration, inefficiencies identified will improve the base’s overall effectiveness when dealing with similar situations.
“No installation is perfect. There’s always room for improvement. That’s why a new emphasis from Headquarters Marine Corps is made,” said Tierney Davis, HQMC Exercise support team analyst. “This year the depot went well as far as getting to the scene in a timely manner,” she added.
Communication was seen as needing improvement after this year’s exercise, said Hunnewell.
“Our training will improve making our responders improve and the chances for an all an all hazards event affecting our mission will be lessened,” said Hunnewell. “This ensures the Marine Corps stays on top.”