NAS JRB New Orleans Sets Force Protection Standard

BELLE CHASSE, La. – Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base (NAS JRB) New Orleans completed the Final Evaluation Problem (FEP), a Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC) and U.S. Fleet Forces Command (USFFC)-graded force protection exercise and evaluation, July 23.

FEP acts as the final assessment for U.S. Navy installation force protection training and certification cycles, an evolution that typically spans a three-year period. Installations must pass administrative inspections, training assessments and scenario-based operational assessments with a grade of 80 percent or better, with no failures of critical tasks and no major safety incidents, to pass the evaluation.

NAS JRB New Orleans Installation Training Officer Jack Woodery said that the base in Belle Chasse, Louisiana trains constantly throughout the year to prepare for response to potential threats, protect lives and property and ensure continuity of operations.

“This training specifically is important because it shows how we can defend our base from active threats,” said Woodery. “We have great, motivated Sailors that ensure we can run effective trainings and knowledgeable personnel evaluating us so that we can continue to improve.”

The exercise graded several departments, including NAS JRB New Orleans Navy Security Forces (NSF), Fire and Emergency Services (F&ES) and the air station’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC). Graded departments responded to several scenarios, including simulations of unauthorized gate entries, a simulated active shooter threat and a simulated hostage scenario.

“Getting this validation is the result of years of hard work and a culture shift in our day-to- day operations,” said NAS JRB New Orleans Commanding Officer Capt. Andrew McGinly. “We have a solid team that consistently answers the call to ensure the safety of everyone who comes on this installation. I want to thank everyone involved in making this evolution one where we showed that NAS JRB New Orleans sets the benchmark for performance.”

NAS JRB New Orleans is home to 33 active-duty and reserve component tenant commands from the Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Army and Coast Guard. As a premier military training destination with direct access to Gulf of America airspace, the air station operates two active runways to support joint-force combat readiness and homeland defense missions.