HURREX/Citadel Gale 2011 Takes Place Aboard Guantanamo

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Leona Mynes, Naval Station Guantanamo Bay Public Affairs

GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba (NNS) -- Naval Station (NS) Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, commenced its annual Hurricane Exercise (HURREX)/Citadel Gale 2011, setting Condition of Readiness (COR) 3, April 25.

The HURREX/Citadel Gale '11 is a Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC) and Fleet Forces Command (FFC) exercise held annually to help commands prepare for the Atlantic hurricane season, which begins June 1 and ends Nov. 30.

"The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) usually comes out with a prediction for the number of storms within a hurricane season based on last year's information," said Kevin Robarge, Guantanamo Bay's installation training officer. "For us, we usually see about a dozen storms in our area."

Emergency and essential personnel from NS Guantanamo Bay's operations, security, fire, administrative and public affairs departments, the U.S. Naval Hospital Guantanamo Bay, Cuba's emergency medical technicians and emergency room staff, Joint Task Force Guantanamo personnel, and the Defense Media Activity Detachment Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, participated in the exercise.

"Each department, command and resident plays an important role in preparing for hurricanes and ensuring we have the greatest chance to mitigate loss of life, equipment, and to maintain our mission capabilities," said Robarge. "From securing personal items around the house, to training to save lives, every person plays a part."

The exercise allows CNIC and FFC to establish command control and communication procedures and learn ways to increase readiness, said Robarge.

"In the event of a major incident like the one in Japan, saving lives and restoring quality of life to the people requires [command control and communication] coordination in order to best utilize all resources and personnel," said Robarge. "Without this coordination, resources are not always optimized and priorities can conflict – an inefficiency that adversely impacts everyone involved."

Guantanamo is isolated from many local resources because of the lack of diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Cuba, said Robarge. Command control and communication play crucial roles in preserving life and property on Guantanamo and to continuing the mission of the base in the event of a natural disaster.

"Hurricane season is coming, and I encourage everyone to review their preparation plans," said Robarge.