U.S. service members across Marine Corps installations in Okinawa, participated in Exercise Constant Vigilance to test consequence management and emergency response capabilities from Oct. 18-22.

Exercise Constant Vigilance is a Force Protection Condition evaluation and crisis response to validate regional, installation, camp, and tenant antiterrorism and mission assurance plans and policies. The three-day exercise consisted of five events demonstrated the Marine Corps Installation Pacific joint-effort capabilities in anti-terrorism and emergency management plans.

The primary participants of the exercise were Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Provost Marshal’s Office, Fire and Emergency Services, Security Guard Force, Criminal Investigation Division, Special Reaction Team, and the individual camp Security Augmentation Force.

“Constant Vigilance is the yearly emergency management and anti-terrorism exercise,” said David Cooper, the emergency management training and exercise program manager and the exercise planner for constant vigilance. “The main goal of Constant Vigilance is so everyone remains vigilant, and to get everyone reacquainted with the FPCON to remember how we will handle these situations.”

Other commands contributed to the full scale exercise to include: U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa, III Marine Expeditionary Force Tenant Commands, Department of Defense Education Activity, Army and Air Force Exchange Service, U.S. Army, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Red Cross, and III MEF Air Support.

“Constant Vigilance is preparing us as a united force because for the first time we are starting to introduce outside agencies,” said Cooper. “The exercise is more collaborative and we have to work with each other because we are neighbors.”

On Oct. 19, the exercise kicked-off with a notional visible vehicle-borne improvised explosive device. It was then time for units across the island to be tested as one united front.


Oct. 19 on Camp Courtney: Visible IED

Security Guard Force inspected oncoming vehicles coming into the Camp Courtney Gate 7 to simulate potential security threats. After searching a car they found a notional vehicle-borne improvised explosive device.

After a visual confirmation of a simulated IED, SGF and EOD conducted response measures to include detainee handling, EOD robotics techniques and vehicle inspection procedures.

“It was definitely a good experience,” Sgt. Timothy Allen, an EOD technician with Marine Corps Base Camp Butler EOD. “This is something that we train a lot on, but employing the other agencies and other groups across the island is something we don’t normally get to do. So, that is always a good experience.”

Allen was part the response team that upon the discovery utilized a Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle to inspect the simulated IED. Controlled by Allen, using a tablet, the robot visually inspected the threat so the Marines could come up with a plan to disable it.

“In the nature of the Marine Corps, it doesn’t matter who is going to take this role in the future, but we are always ready to adapt to a future threat,” said Allen. “Across the board, if you take any EOD tech in the Marine Corps, you could put them in this situation and they are going to learn from this experience, and then apply it to similar or completely different situations.”

After the threat was neutralized, the units conducted a post-action brief of how the training went and how it could be strengthened next year.

“The benefit from this training is awareness, knowing that there is a potential for threats and knowing what to look for,” said Allen. “This is good foundational training.”


Oct. 21 Camp Schwab: Missile strike

It was reported that a notional missile strike occurred inside Camp Schwab Ammunition Supply Point. The origin was unknown but there were multiple casualties, a fire, and a chemical gas leak.

American and Japanese local national first responders worked together to put out the fire, deal with an agitator, evacuate simulated casualties, and conduct tactical casualty care. Crash Fire Rescue and EMTs then came to the scene and conducted medical evacuation procedures.

After chemical, radiological and nuclear containment efforts were controlled by EOD, air transportation was established to simulate an emergency environment and practice response measures. Concluding the exercise, a Japanese aircraft, Dr. Heli, and a Marine Corps UH-1Y Huey attached to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 169, conducted an emergency medical evacuation.


Oct. 21 Camp Hansen: Shooter and mass casualty

A notional, active-shooter incident occurred on Camp Hansen near Building 2143 where the shooter indirectly fired on patrols and passers causing a mass casualty event.

Marines with Provost Marshal’s Office on Camp Hansen responded to the scene, utilizing a route unknown to the active shooter. The Marines quickly neutralized the threat and began to triage the four simulated casualties as Camp Guard secured the perimeter.

First responders and camp personnel aboard MCB Camp Butler eliminated the simulated threat and were able to tend to all casualties in the area.

Soon after, firefighters and first responders with Fire and Emergency Services, Marine Corps Installations Pacific, arrived and transported the four casualties via a Humvee to U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa to receive medical care.

The event encompassed and ensured the ability of participating service members to respond to an active shooter and to transport the four causalities using a tactical vehicle.


Oct. 21 Camp Foster: Active shooter

In the Old Chatan Housing on Camp Foster, shots were fired by an active shooter. As the units on scene made contact with the individual, the shooter became a barricaded suspect and took two hostages.

After the shooter injured a causality, SRT and CID responded to the scene and negotiated with the barricaded suspect leading to the hostages getting out safe.

“Today’s training was extremely important because it is not every day that we get to receive this combined training,” said Capt. Vincent Huerta, the operations officer for PMO Camp Butler. “Today, we got to do a lot of combined training with not only outside entities but also special divisions within PMO like SRT, CID and patrolman.”

Huerta explains that the Marines partook in a realistic scenario because it is one that can occur in their career field at any point. He continues that as first responders, their job is to remain vigilant as military police officers especially as FPCON escalates. It’s vital to remain hyper-aware of what is going on within the camps.

“The Marines got really good training out of this,” said Huerta. “I saw a lot of good actions by the Marines individually and combined with the other sections. I think the training was super helpful because they got to see what they need to work on and the things that they do well. This helps us continue to accomplish the mission to ensure the security of not only ourselves, but more importantly the community and everyone here on the installation.”


Overview of the event

Working side-by-side, the units successfully completed the three-day annual exercise by validating and refining crisis response and FPCON procedures.

Cooper explains that exercises like these strengthens III MEF because MCIPAC is here to support III MEF. He continue that it includes protecting service members and their families by giving them a secure enough environment to where they can operate out of safely. Exercise Constant Vigilance is the very way that as a force in Okinawa, that can be ensured.

“Exercises in Okinawa, or anywhere, are important because it keeps people refreshed on how they are supposed to do things,” said Cooper. “We need to be vigilant and keep in our minds that things could go wrong at any time, so we need to remain prepared by executing Constant Vigilance.”