Exercise Orbit Comet tests for real world threats

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Heather Stanton
  • 4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. --  Team Seymour hosted Exercise Orbit Comet Oct. 13-16 to train and test response procedures for potential real-world threats.

Orbit Comet took place between Seymour Johnson Air Force Base and local, state and federal emergency response organizations to exercise and evaluate procedures for dealing with terrorists and the use of weapons of mass destruction.

"This exercise was important because it is a prime opportunity to test the interoperability of how we jointly respond to an incident of this kind," said Stephen Spencer, 4th Fighter Wing plans and evaluations chief. "Anytime we deal with a weapon of mass destruction, it may not recognize base boundaries. It will blend on and off base and involves everyone who resides here."

Exercise Orbit Comet is an annual event. Base participants included personnel from the 4th FW, the 916th Air Refueling Wing and Air Force Office of Special Investigations Detachment 216. Local participants included the Goldsboro and Wayne County Office of Emergency Services and Emergency Operations Center, the Goldsboro police and fire departments, Wayne Memorial Hospital, the State Bureau of Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigations.

The scenario for this year's exercise was a simulated radiological threat off base, Mr. Spencer said. The scenario kicked off with prior factitious intelligence of a terrorist cell in Goldsboro. The police department executed a search warrant at an off-base residence and found simulated bomb making material, weapons caches, unknown substances and maps highlighting on-base targets. For exercise purposes, the base elevated the force protection condition and base responders including explosive ordnance disposal Airmen, 4th Civil Engineer Squadron emergency management and bioenvironmental engineers investigated the scene.

Throughout the week, more on- and off-base scenarios took place, including simulated bomb threats, detonations and hostage situations.

This exercise gave Team Seymour and the local community a chance to practice and train a lot, according to Mr. Spencer. Techniques were refined and Airmen and civilians became familiarized with the procedures involved in such scenarios.

The exercise also provided an opportunity for Airmen to take advantage of technological advances.

"This was the first exercise we used the new emergency management notification system," said Master Sgt. Shane LaVoie, 4th FW Command Post superintendent. "The system allows us to push out information to the entire base using one click, speeding up and enhancing our notification system."

According to Mr. Spencer, this exercise laid the groundwork for an upcoming inspection.

"This was a great training opportunity that gave us the chance to practice procedures we need to be able to execute on short or no notice," he said. "Not only was it a good training opportunity for real-world threats, it is something we need to practice for our operational readiness inspection this time next year."