Hurricane Exercise/Citadel Gale

As a community partner, the Navy is committed to coordinating with other government agencies, national organizations, academia and local authorities to prepare for a potential natural disaster. We coordinate with the U.S. Coast Guard, Military Sealift Command Atlantic and the Bureau of Naval Medicine, among others to train for various emergency response scenarios. 

 The Navy will train through each of the five Tropical Cyclone Conditions of Readiness (TCCOR) levels. At each level there are specific preparations for defense against destructive winds. At the participating installations, personnel will be securing facilities and ensuring service members, civilians and their families are prepared for the onset of adverse weather conditions. Although no actual movement of ships or aircraft will take place, Commander Task Force (CTF) 80 will simulate sorties for the purpose of this exercise. 

The Navy Family Accountability and Assessment System (NFAAS) is a web-based reporting system tool that was developed following the major hurricane season of 2005. It allows Navy service members and their families to inform their chain of command regarding their status and needs after a declared emergency or catastrophic event. Additionally, an NFAAS app was developed, and is available for Navy personnel and their families to download onto their smartphones for free. 

It is paramount our Navy families are informed of the resources available to them and have a plan in the event of a disaster. How well prepared and informed our families are directly impacts and reflects in the preparedness of our active duty and civilian personnel.

The public is advised to not be alarmed if they see or hear an increase of military activity at the Navy bases or delays at the gates due to the exercise. 

 When local and state officials request federal assistance following a storm, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) serves as the lead agency for support. If FEMA requests assistance, then U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) will provide a mix of National Guard and active duty forces. USFF, in its capacity as U.S. Naval Forces Northern Command (NAVNORTH), will provide forces to NORTHCOM as able. We conduct exercises to ensure we are trained and ready to provide support to civil authorities when it is needed and requested. 

The Navy has established a process that includes observation, discussion, recommendation and comments throughout the exercise. Upon completion of the exercise, all lessons learned are evaluated and incorporated into real-world planning efforts and future HURREX/CG exercises. Training conducted during the exercise is vital for the Navy to be prepared for and minimize interruptions in operations even under adverse weather conditions.  ​
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