Photo By Sgt. Leona Hendrickson | A firefighter from the Virgin Islands Fire Department assists a casualty from a...... read more read more
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Brig. Gen. (VI) Deborah Y. Howell, the adjutant general of the Virgin Islands, hosted a distinguished visitor’s day tour (DV Day) on St. Croix and St. Thomas to highlight military operations during the Vigilant Guard 17-03 exercise on May 16.
The day began on St. Croix with registration at VING Joint Force Headquarters. Lt. Gov. Osbert Potter, Howell, and Mona Barnes, the director of Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency, briefed visitors on what they could expect for the day.
Visitors were taken to three sites; Gallows Bay, the Anguilla Landfill, and a collapse structure training site at the Virgin Islands National Guard Military Compound.
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Robert Carter, the vessel master, gave a tour of a vessel at Gallows Bay on the capabilities of the vessel in the event of a natural disaster.
The second stop was to the Anguilla Landfill where soldiers from 662nd Engineer Company, VIARNG and airmen from 285th Civil Engineer Squadron, VIANG were clearing a road of debris.
The final stop on St. Croix was a return to the VING military where visitors were given a tour of a simulated collapse structure after an earthquake. At the site, firefighters from the Virgin Islands Fire Department worked alongside the 23rd Civil Support Team to remove causalities from a collapse structure containing hazardous materials.
After lunch, the contingent hopped on a C-17 to head to St. Thomas to continue the tour. The tour took the DV Day attendees to water purification sites, the joint operations center, and also to view the Quick Reaction Force that conducted a civil disturbance training at the Lionel Roberts Stadium. Because of its real world importance in such a catastrophe, the QRF training was a highlight that was observed and critiqued by the visiting officials.
The QRF, comprised of members of the 610th Quartermaster Company and the 73rd Army Band, 786th Combat Service Support Battalion, responded to a scenario of a crowd rioting over the distribution of food.
Master Sgt. Lyndal Anthony and Staff Sgt. Kellen Phillips of the 661st Military Police Law and Order Detachment trained the team before beginning the scenario.
“It’s always good for the troops to learn because you never know when a civil disturbance could happen during a catastrophe,” said Staff Sgt. Phillips. “It’s always good to be prepared.”
The QRF team was taken to the stadium where they met with other VING soldiers that posed as protestors for the scenario. The team, led by Staff Sgt. Akyo Joseph, 73rd Army Band, successfully dispersed the crowd during the scenario without causing harm to themselves or the crowd.
“At the end of the day everyone in the Virgin Islands National Guard knows that our main job is to protect and serve the civilians,” said Staff Sgt. Joseph.
Howell acknowledged that the well-being of each soldier was of upmost importance during interactions with the local population, but also emphasized that the care of the citizens was also an integral part of the training; much as in the same way that her expectation of the Department of Defense along with local and federal partners would ensure the safety of its American citizens in the Caribbean.
“As Americans, the commitment is that we are going to take care of each other,” said Howell. “As a territory I expect DOD and all the other federal partners to work with the government of the Virgin Islands to ensure the safety security and to provide resources to our citizens.”
Vigilant Guard 17-03 is an exercise focused on the response of the local government agencies, as well as Virgin Islands National Guard, along with other federal agencies during a natural disaster.
| Date Taken: | 05.17.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 05.18.2017 14:46 |
| Story ID: | 234331 |
| Location: | ST. THOMAS, US |
| Web Views: | 123 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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