SINGAPORE -- Navy Region Singapore (NRS), recently participated in Exercise Citadel Pacific 2016 along with other Navy Installations throughout the U.S. Pacific Command area of responsibility, including Navy Region Japan, Joint Region Marianas, and Navy Region Hawaii from August 29 through September 02, 2016.

The purpose of Exercise Citadel Pacific 2016 is to enhance the training, readiness and capability of Navy security forces to respond to threats to Navy installations and units.

According to Morgan Jones, Regional Director of Operations for Navy Region Singapore, the local exercise series in Singapore is designed to allow first responders and other security elements to exercise standard operating procedures in the event of actual emergencies.

For NRS, the weeklong events had the Installations Auxiliary Police Force (IAPF) and Singapore Armed Forces drilled in entry control point procedures, surveillance countermeasures, gate runners, active shooters, and improvised explosive device detection and response. Both organizations provide security for NRS and its assets throughout Singapore.

In terms of honing the region’s skills during Exercise Citadel Pacific 2016, the primary focus this week was to ensure command, control and communications are exercised per standard operating procedures and in accordance with our joint response plan and also validate first responder actions, according to Jones.

Grading officials for the exercise wore bright orange vests and annotated details for each event while also providing on-the-spot critiques on how the IAPF and SAF did. Despite this, the exercise was an overall success.

“Every year the IAPF and SAF perform better than the last as their skill sets and experience continue to grow,” said Jones. “They are truly a professional force and demonstrate it on a daily basis.”

Meanwhile, as this year’s exercise wraps up, the Navy Region Singapore team will take its lessons learned and prepare more advanced training scenarios for next year’s events.

Exercise Citadel Pacific 2016 is a routine exercise and is not being conducted in response to a specific threat against any particular installation. Realistic training enhances security awareness among involved Navy personnel, family members, veterans, retirees, and local populations.