VDF hones skills at statewide exercise, collaboration with Civil Air Patrol

RICHMOND, Va. — Members of the Virginia Defense Force honed their communication and access control skills during a statewide hurricane response exercise May 6, 2023, at multiple locations across Virginia and continued the build their relationship with the Civil Air Patrol during support to a search and rescue exercise May 20.

The goal of the “Spring Winds 2023” hurricane response exercise was to hone and refine technical skills at the individual and company level and develop small unit leadership skills in a hurricane scenario incorporating organic communications and access control capabilities at eight different locations across the state, Brig. Gen. Justin P. Carlitti Sr. stated in the commander’s guidance for the exercise.

“This simulated state active duty operation will allow for the VDF to exercise its organic communication equipment and provide civil support security scenarios in a realistic emergency operation environment,” he said. “VDF response operations will consist of a series of deployment, execution and redeployment phases for selected units while maintaining situational awareness and documenting all aspects of the simulated response.” 

Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia, visited with VDF personnel taking part in the exercise in Richmond, Virginia. VDF leaders briefed Williams on the exercise operations center and access control portion of the exercise. 

“I continue to be tremendously impressed by the amazing volunteer spirit exhibited by members of the VDF, and they field important additional capabilities to help their fellow Virginians in times of need,” Williams said. “I was glad to have the opportunity to thank them for what they do and encourage them to continue to improve on their skills as well as remind them how important they are to the entire response team effort.” 

Williams also presented challenge coins to individuals for outstanding duty performance.

The event was a total force effort, as the training occurred at eight unit locations across the commonwealth,” explained Capt. (Va.) Michael Perini, deputy G3 training and operations officer. “Mission participants fielded approximately 30 notional emergency response request communications during a 4-hour exercise period while establishing access control components in support.”

Perini explained the objective for this exercise was to duplicate the short notice of information distribution and have unit leaders react in a comparable capacity to what would occur in the real world.

The exercise also implemented a Joint Operations Center augmentation team that duplicated the makeup of the team as they would actually deploy, adding a layer of complexity providing further realism for the exercise, he said. The details of the exercise were designed by VDF company grade officers, and junior officers, NCOs and enlisted troops had the opportunity to create, lead and command.

“They did a remarkable job,” Perini said. 

This approach also provided an opportunity for VDF field grade officers to travel unit locations and offer mentorship in decision-making scenarios that arise during the exercise. Leaders from the VDF’s Force Headquarters, 1st Regiment and Support Operations Group visited training locations with evaluation checklists to provide feedback to unit leaders. VDF personnel assigned to the Fairfax-based 31st Cyber Battalion, 1st Regiment provided scenario control for the exercise in Fairfax.

VDF personnel assigned to the Support Operations Group training on civil support security tasks at the VDF Headquarters at Waller Depot in Richmond focused on multiple key tasks include location reconnaissance to determine areas needing access control, assigning personnel to perform interior and exterior guard duties and access gate procedures. Throughout the day, different scenarios were presented to test how personnel would react, and they feedback from SOG subject matter experts.

VDF personnel assigned to the Warrenton-based Echo Company, 11th Signal Battalion, 1st Regiment took part in the statewide Civil Air Patrol search and rescue exercise May 20 from their home station armory, and it provided an opportunity for the VDF to build on their existing radio skills and expand their relationships with other organizations. 

Carlitti explained that in a contingency response, the Commonwealth of Virginia may request the operational support of the Virginia Wing of the Civil Air Patrol in executing such missions as aerial reconnaissance, airborne communication support or airlift missions. Because the VDF and CAP have similar long-range and short-range radio communication capabilities, taking part in joint exercises not only tests interoperability, but continually reinforces operational familiarity that would be essential in facilitating any effective response.  

He also said the CAP and VDF are currently evaluating their respective Fiscal Year 2024 training and exercise calendars to look for other opportunities to train together and build on their partnership.

The CAP SAREX provided an excellent training opportunity for VDF personnel, explained Chief Warrant Officer 2 (Va.) Kevin Maxson, commander of Echo Company. He said that while normal training opportunities are with other elements in the 11th Signal Battalion, taking part in the SAREX provides a much more diverse set of interoperability challenges to include communication with airborne assets.

VDF personnel deployed their mobile communication platform for both the hurricane exercise and the CAP SAREX. The MCP is a 7 1/2 feet by 16 feet trailer equipped with multiple radio systems for voice and data communications. Using an MCP, members of the VDF are able to communicate across a variety of radio spectrums with emergency response and public safety organizations as well as amateur radio operators.

The VDF is authorized by Title 44 of the Code of the Virginia as the all-volunteer reserve of the Virginia National Guard, and it serves as a force multiplier integrated into all Guard domestic operations. The VDF reports to the Adjutant General of Virginia as part of the Virginia Department of Military Affairs along with the Virginia Army National Guard and Virginia Air National Guard. Members of the VDF volunteer their time for training and are only paid when called to duty by an authorization from the Governor of Virginia. 

Read more about VDF communication capabilities at https://ngpa.us/25212 and access control capabilities at https://ngpa.us/25213.