The joint training was a part the Navy’s annual force protection Exercise Citadel Shield-Solid Curtain 2023. Citadel Shield-Solid Curtain 23 is a two-week training conducted on all Navy installations in the continental U.S.
“We have an outstanding working relationship with Monroe County and the City of Key West,” said NAS Key West Commanding Officer Capt. Beth Regoli. “This exercise was a fantastic opportunity for our team to work with the Sheriff’s Office and Key West Police using realistic scenarios, ensuring effective collaboration in our ability respond to changing and dynamic threats at all times.”
During the two-week event, NAS Key West members test information dissemination, individual response plans, security force responses, and exercise their ability to coordinate with local emergency responders and the community.
“The way we train is the way we fight,” Regoli said. “Protection of our people has been, and will continue to be, my top priority. To accomplish that, training must be realistic and performed to standard, addressing the constantly evolving security environment in which we live and operate.”
Citadel Shield, which occurs the first week, is the field training exercise portion. Solid Curtain occurs the following week and is the command post exercise. This two-part approach was 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.
Citadel Shield-Solid Curtain 23 is a regularly scheduled exercise, not held in response to any specific threat.