MCAS Yuma to conduct exercise

Marine Corps Air Station Yuma is not immune to the possibility of some type of attack or other severe emergency and will conduct a full-scale field training exercise on base Monday to hone its response skills in the event such an incident occurs.

Called Vigilant Shield 19-1 (VS 19-1), the full-scale training exercise is a U.S. Northern Command, command-level training event that is designed to train staff at multiple levels how to prepare and respond to various crises that require law enforcement and medical services.

As part of the training, leadership will activate its Command Operations Center on base, which will then respond to numerous simulated threats throughout the exercise.

The exercise will present some type of real world scenario that a Marine base could have to respond to, such as finding weapons and explosive cache in a vehicle, or an active shooter on the loose.

Base units such as the Provost Marshal’s Office, the Naval Criminal, Investigative Service, the Marine Corps Air Station Yuma Fire Department, and other military and civilian organizations will all be participating in this training.

The Yuma County Airport Authority, Rural Metro, and Cocopah Indian Tribe also plan to contribute to the exercise in an effort to increase interoperability.

The exercise focuses on preparing the installations, protecting its people and its critical infrastructure from terrorist threats.

For more information, contact the Communication Strategy and Operations office at mcasyuma_media@usmc.mil or 928-269-2275.