PATUXENT RIVER, Maryland (Feb. 08, 2024) – NAS Patuxent River Secuirty personnel confer following an active shooter drill during Exercise Citadel Shield-Solid Curtain 2024 at NAS Patuxent River. Exercise Citadel Shield-Solid Curtain 2024 is a two-part, anti-terrorism force protection exercise that is being conducted nationwide on Navy installations, Feb. 6-17. The annual exercise is not in response to any specific threat, but is used to evaluate the readiness of fleet and installation security programs. (U.
NAS Patuxent River will participate in an annual force protection exercise, starting Feb. 3, 2025.
Exercise Citadel Shield-Solid Curtain 2025 (CS-SC25) is conducted by Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command (USFFC) and Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC) on all Navy installations in the continental U.S.
“The annual Citadel Shield /Solid Curtain exercise is an opportunity for our security forces at Pax River to train with our mission partners here at home and throughout the U.S. so we’re ready to meet a variety of security challenges,” said Capt. Douglas Burfield, NAS Patuxent River Commanding Officer.
Citadel Shield, which occurs the first week, is the field training exercise (FTX) portion led by CNIC. Solid Curtain occurs the following week and is the command post exercise (CPX) led by USFFC.
This two-part approach is designed to enhance the readiness of Navy security forces and ensure seamless interoperability among the commands, other services and agency partners in order to protect life, equipment and facilities.
CS-SC25 is a regularly scheduled exercise and is not being held in response to any specific threat.
Measures have been taken to minimize disruptions within local communities and to normal base operations, but there may be times when the exercise causes increased traffic around bases or delays in base access, particularly during the exercise’s second week. Area residents may also see or hear security activities associated with the exercise. Advanced coordination has taken place with local law enforcement and first responders.
For information about potential impacts due to the exercise, please follow our social media platforms on Facebook, www.facebook.com/NASPaxRiver, Twitter, @NASPaxRiverPAO, and Instagram, www.instagram.com/nas_patuxent_river for updates. For direct emergency messages to your phone or workstation, sign up for AtHoc alerts (Wide Area Alert Network (WAAN)).
