Security drill nets suspicious van driver

At 8:05 a.m. on Jan. 14, NAS Jacksonville Executive Officer Capt. Jeffrey Maclay informed the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) team that the terrorist threat condition was raised to "Threatcon Charlie" - after receiving information on a potential bomb threat to the station.

Maclay said, "Intelligence sources revealed a potential threat involving explosives and white vans that put some bases in the Southeast Region in ThreatCon Bravo - NAS Jax was one of them. Now, we're at Threatcon Charlie - which includes one hundred percent vehicle inspections at our gates."

Lt. Chris Walcutt, who had the command duty officer watch, said, "The EOC team is reacting to information we received in an anonymous phone call to the quarterdeck that warned of a van containing explosives. Today's exercise takes place at the station's commercial gate."

(From left) Lt. j.g. Eric Schotter of NAS Jax Security Dept. delivers an exercise update as Emergency Management Officer Ray Edmonds, NAS Jax Executive Officer Capt. Jeffrey Maclay and Metro Jax Fire Chief Don Martin look on at the NAS Jacksonville Emergency Operations Center.

NAS Jacksonville Emergency Manage-ment Officer Ray Edmond said the anti-terrorism force protection exercise was part of a weeklong CNO Integrated Vulnerability Assessment.

"If the threat had been real, a threat working group would have been formed with tenant commands to discuss how we would implement our Charlie measures. We would also have contacted the City of Jacksonville Emergency Management Operations Center and NS Mayport EOC," said Edmond.

Lt. j.g. Eric Schotter of NAS Jax Security Dept. announced at 11:05 a.m. that a suspect driving a white van containing possible explosives had been detained at the commercial gate.

The suspect was placed in custody and the NS Mayport Explosive Ordnance Disposal team was called in to investigate the vehicle.

NAS Jax Police Department Patrolman Robert Cook mans the over watch inside the station's commercial gate during the Jan. 14 security exercise.

Upon completion of the excercise, MA1 Joseph Johnson and MA1 Justin Morris return to their vehicle with Military Working Dog "Benny."

The NAS Jax Police Incident Commander set up his post near Hangar 511.