MCAS CHERRY POINT, N.C. -- With the Atlantic hurricane season right around the corner, Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point has already started preparations to ensure the air station remains mission ready, even under the most inclement weather conditions. Multiple scenarios were tested throughout the week of May 15-19, 2023. The Hurricane Exercise (HURREX) is conducted once a year to test the ability and response time of various aspects of the air stations procedure to endure a destructive storm.
During a destructive storm, damage can occur to the housing areas and living quarters on or around the installation, for this occurrence, shelters are set-up inside buildings to provide expeditious shelters for service-members and their families with access to the installation. U.S. Marines assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron prepared an emergency shelter inside the Marine Dome, to temporarily house role-players seeking shelter as part of HURREX 2023 to test the response time of volunteers setting up. The installation took measures to ensure the safety of government equipment on the water as well. Sailors assigned to the Naval Boat Dock Unit on MCAS Cherry Point tested their ability to secure a naval vessel to hurricane buoys in open water while avoiding damage to their equipment.