GULFPORT, Miss. – Approximately 1,400 personnel from federal, state and local entities are coming together for PATRIOT South 20, a Domestic Operations (DOMOPS) training exercise sponsored by the National Guard Bureau at multiple locations including the Combined Arms Combat Training Facility (CACTF) at Camp Shelby, Miss., the Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center (CRTC), Miss., Camp McCain in Grenada County, Miss., and Guardian Centers in Perry Ga., from Mar. 2 – 5, 2020.
PATRIOT is an annual exercise that will focus on joint coordination of local, state and federal organizations to work together in response to a natural or man-made emergency. Additionally, it will test the combined entities’ abilities to respond and gain relevant, realistic and innovative training for natural disasters using simulated emergency scenarios such as hurricane response, creating collapsed buildings, mass casualties and the need for search and rescue.
“During PATRIOT, the focus is practicing the way we would respond to a natural or man-made disaster,” said Lt. Col. Roger Brooks IV, PATRIOT South 20 Director. “We’re exercising Department of Defense and emergency management agency plans to build relationships and partnerships within the local community to ease any potential suffering.”
Participants in the exercise include National Guard Soldiers and Airmen in various career fields from over 30 states, Mississippi Department of Public Health, the Red Cross, Team Rubicon, Forrest General Hospital and Keesler Medical Center.
“I appreciate the state of Mississippi, the National Guard Bureau, and all the partners from multiple states across the U.S. for coming together and making this happen,” said Brooks.
