LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. –
The U.S. has experienced a series of violent shootings in recent years, including incidents at schools, shopping malls and movie theaters. Military installations are not exempt from the threat of violence, as witnessed by the 2009 shootings at Fort Hood, Texas, and more recently, the Navy Yard shootings in Washington, D.C., in September.
In order to prepare base personnel on how to respond to a similar incident, Langley Air Force Base partnered with the city of Hampton to conduct an active-shooter and force protection exercise Nov. 19 and 20, gauging the installation's ability to mitigate acts of violence and ensure the safety of the community.
The simulation began as a disgruntled gunman, portrayed by U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Scott Wagonblott, 633rd Communications Squadron information assurance manager, opened fire on unsuspecting victims during a failed vehicle sale at the base dormitory parking lots.
Wagonblott, who participated in the same capacity in last year's active-shooter exercise, said it was a great opportunity to again train Langley Airmen to react in an emergency situation.
"With recent events, [this exercise] gives Langley the practice it needs to be able to handle any situation," said Wagonblott. "These sorts of things will hopefully prepare us for a real event."
After simulating killing three and wounding four of the men that insulted him during the botched trailer sale, Wagonblott took cover behind a vehicle as 633rd Security Forces Squadron Airmen arrived. Within minutes, the defenders had neutralized the threat, killing Wagonblott's character after a short exchange of fire.
Medical-response teams arrived immediately and tended to the injured, while 633rd Force Support Squadron mortuary affairs personnel handled the deceased.
The focus of the exercise was to practice the tactics and coordination between first-response units, base agencies and local responders, said Master Sgt. Edward Locus, 633rd SFS standardization evaluation chief.
"If this was a real-world situation, it would be too much to handle alone," said Locus. "We will utilize [any first-responders or agencies] we can."
The second portion of the exercise began as the violent scene involving Wagonblott triggered symptoms of post-traumatic stress in Staff Sgt. Jonathan Horton, 633rd SFS unit trainer who heard the gunfire from the day room of his dormitory adjacent to the parking lot where the shootings occurred. Horton portrayed an Airman stricken with PTSD following a recent deployment to Afghanistan. The gunfire caused a stress response in Horton, who began to imagine himself under attack at a forward operating base downrange.
Horton dragged passers-by into the day room, initiating a hostage situation. He called the 633rd SFS law enforcement desk and made demands, including repeated requests to meet with his noncommissioned officer in charge from his deployed unit.
Tech. Sgt. Jennifer Gemmell, 633rd CS quality assurance evaluator, and simulated hostage, said it was a great experience to watch security forces up close.
"It is very important for first responders to be prepared," said Gemmell.
To assist 633rd SFS personnel in defusing the crisis, two hostage negotiators from the Hampton Police Department -- Sgt. Derrick Woolaston, gang unit officer in charge, and Richard Van Riper, violent crimes investigator -- worked alongside security forces Airmen to reason with Horton.
"We found this as a way to work with [our partners at Langley]," said Van Riper. "It takes a team-approach on crime in these types of situations."
Despite the negotiator's efforts, Horton remained in the day room and threatened to kill his hostages. Finally, 633rd SFS Airmen breached the day room door, killing Horton and rescuing those trapped inside.
"[The exercise] aims to take Langley out of the mind-set that it couldn't happen to us, because it could," said Horton.
During the incident, law enforcement officials initially declared a lockdown on base, effectively freezing personnel in place in order to isolate the threat and ensure safety of the base populace. The base FPCON level, a condition that prescribes installation security protocols, increased from Alpha to Bravo, where it remained into the next morning, when officials again elevated the FPCON to Charlie.
During the elevated FPCON level, security forces personnel implemented increased security measures, and base personnel operated with increased vigilance to identify and report suspected threats.
The increase to FPCON Charlie came on the heels of an exercise scenario involving a possible terrorist threat against Langley AFB. The simulation entailed a suspicious vehicle fleeing a traffic stop in nearby North Carolina, eventually crashing and killing the driver. Within the vehicle -- and upon further investigation of the deceased suspect's home -- FBI and Air Force Office of Special Investigations agents discovered maps, homemade explosive devices and plans for a vehicle- or person-borne attack on Langley.
"The exercise ensured Langley personnel and first responders are prepared to protect their lives and the lives of those around them," said Neil Cummings, 633rd Air Base Wing exercise program manager. "We hope to learn a lot of good lessons to make the process and plans better [for real-world situations or future exercises]."
As barriers are taken down and FPCON levels retreat to Alpha, Langley personnel will go back to "normal." However, the experience gained during the exercise and lessons learned afterward give the base and community the knowledge, skills and preparedness to effectively react in the event a real-world event were to occur on base.