FORT MEADE – On 13 Sep 2022, Applied Training Solutions, LLC, (ATS) successfully designed and supported a critical training exercise for the U.S. Army Garrison Fort Meade, Maryland. ATS facilitated the Full-Scale Exercise (FSE) as part of the Installation Management Command (IMCOM) Military Installation Exercise Program. The Exercise lead-in began five (5) days prior with the receipt of intelligence reports, which detailed various social media postings by a paramilitary extremist group making veiled threats of violence against an installation within the National Capital Region (NCR). These reports along with other social media postings were collected by the garrison Anti-Terrorism Officer (ATO). A Threat Working Group (TWG) was then activated to analyze the data available and provide the Senior Commander and Garrison Commander (GC) with recommended force protection measures.
The exercise began with several witnesses reporting that a truck intentionally sped up to strike a school bus full of high school students on the installation, causing a multiple vehicle collision resulting in 20 injuries and 3 deaths (service members following the bus in a car). About 15 mins after the accident, reports on social media and via phone began coming in about a drone flying onto the installation from an off-post location carrying a suspicious package. The drone struck a power line and crashed, failing to reach its intended target. Intel and social media messaging had indicated a Nexus between the truck driver and the drone operator, both members of the extremist group.
Installation Law Enforcement, Fire, and EMS assets deployed to the accident scene and immediately requested additional support from off-post agencies resulting in the deployment of Mobile Ambulatory Busses (MAB’s) from Anne Arundel and Howard Counties. Triage, treatment, and transport operations were conducted with the injured being transported via MAB to local hospitals for care while fatality management operations were initiated. Activation of the EOC was conducted while social media and phone calls were coming in reporting a drone with a suspicious package being seen entering installation airspace. The drone struck a power line and crashed resulting in the deployment of an Electric Company team, Bomb Squad deployments from NSA and Annapolis, and the coordination of CID and FBI investigators. Deploying their bomb squad robot, the suspicious packaged was rendered safe. An Emergency Family Assistance Center (EFAC) was activated to assist personnel affected by these events while additional coordination with the local School System was conducted. The complex, live-play exercise challenged USAG Fort mead’s ability to process scenario live-play and simulated information from a variety of sources, while integrating response and recovery efforts amongst its tenant organizations and the installation community.
As a leader in emergency preparedness training and readiness, ATS continues to actively work to deliver innovative, experience-based disaster-preparedness exercises solutions for local, state and federal agencies to protect communities.
For additional information on ATS and ATS Solutions, please visit www. appliedtrg.com