U.S. Airmen, assigned to the 424th Air Base Squadron Fire Detachment, sum up their operation in their mobile operation center during the United States Army Garrison Benelux full scale exercise, on Chièvres Air Base, Belgium, May 17, 2019. (U.S. Army photo by Pierre-Etienne Courtejoie) (Information pixelated for OPSEC)

USAG Benelux performs full-scale exercise with tenant units and Host Nation partners

U.S. Army Benelux conducted its full-scale exercise on 17 and 18 May on Chièvres Air Base in order to assess their emergency and recovery plans.

The scenario focused on an insider threat, a former employee who build explosive devices to be detonated on the installation.  After reports of a vehicle ramming and explosion near the Community Activities Center (CAC), the suspect fled the scene as an active shooter, causing further havoc.  Law Enforcement on Chievres as well as our Host Nation partners responded to the scene and quickly eliminated the threat as well as treated casualties.  The suspect also placed an explosive device near Hangar 6, which the Belgian Military Explosive Ordnance Detachment (EOD) neutralized.  The explosion near the CAC damaged fuel storage tanks, resulting in a fuel spill near the kennel.

All partners executed reaction plans and responded properly to the threat while the on post personnel went through the lock down plan. 

“The goal for all the US forces was to test our processes, our procedures, our checklists, validate those and also to validate our partnership with the host nation,” said Joe Wucik, USAG Benelux exercise planner. The exercise included the participation of tenant units, SHAPE Federal Police as well as Host Nation emergency responders, making the plan as realistic as possible.

USAG Benelux only go through full-scale exercises every two years, allowing everyone to further train. “To me it means that the garrison is striving hard to meet one of our priorities, which is the protection of our resources, our people and our facilities,” said Mr. Wucik.

Discover all the photos of the event here. A video made by AFN is also available.

By Julie Piron, USAG Benelux Public Affairs