Photo By Bryan Lunn | Kelsie Steber, Fort Stewart garrison public affairs specialist, takes a phone call...... read more read more
“Exercise, exercise, exercise,” was a phrase heard constantly throughout the Emergency Operation Center as several agencies at Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield participated in emergency response exercises March 26-27.
Lt. Col. Derick Taylor, Hunter Army Airfield garrison commander, said the exercise is in preparation of next year’s “Black Start” exercise, which is a resiliency exercise every installation must complete.
Black Start is congressionally mandated and requires all Department of Defense installations to test its ability to operate without power in an emergency. It also focuses on the resiliency of security measures and responses.
For key role players, these exercises serve as significant teaching opportunities.
“We have the ability to identify gaps,” said Department of the Army Civilian Police Maj. Rick Barrick, Directorate of Emergency Services operations officer. “We get to make sure we have proper direction in where we need to go, have good communication between entities that are involved, and ensure the security and safety of the installation.”
The scenarios are developed by the Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization, and Security and are based on Installation Management Command requirements, various garrison directorates’ input, and the desires of the garrison commander.
Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield are seen as a single installation despite being 40 miles apart, with each site facing distinct and individual challenges.
This iteration focused on evaluating security measures at access control points, managing crisis response to an unidentified explosive device, assessing the ability to handle unknown individuals probing gate security, and testing law enforcement's reaction to unforeseen situations.
Additionally, a two-hour power outage was implemented at Hunter Army Airfield to test the resilience of their systems. At the core of the exercise is the Emergency Operation Center.
“The EOC is structured to include representatives from all our directorates and is led by DPTMS,” Taylor explained. “The garrison commander serves as the final point for authorities delegated by the senior commander, enabling effective decision-making regarding the installation's security and the safety of our service members and their families.”
Beau Bradley, DPTMS installation emergency manager, highlighted the installation executes two Integrated Protection Exercises a year with an externally evaluated full scale exercise every three years. In addition, DPTMS hosts a monthly Installation Emergency Operations Center training, severe weather and active shooter exercises, along with Energy Resilience Readiness Exercises.
“Some historical practices are outdated and sometimes people have the inability to accept change,” Bradley said. “Exercises are designed to be tough, realistic and force the installation to work through problems they may have not experienced here.
Last week’s exercise proved its value in identifying strengths and vulnerabilities.
“We are meeting our training goals, and we have had to adjust in some places in order to meet those goals,” Taylor said. “We are learning about some gaps in not just our capabilities, but our responses.”
To learn more about our installation exercise programs, visit home.army.mil/stewart/about/Garrison/DPTMS
| Date Taken: | 04.04.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.04.2025 15:05 |
| Story ID: | 494601 |
| Location: | FORT STEWART, GEORGIA, US |
| Web Views: | 24 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Installation exercise paves road to “Black Start”, by Kelsie Steber, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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