Look out for extra security or other action around the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station any time this week. This includes restrictions on Anaheim Bay around the base.

Gregg T. Smith, the base's Public Affairs Officer, said "Measures have been taken to avoid disruptions to normal base and station operations, but there may be times when the exercise causes increased traffic around bases or delays in base access. Area residents may also see increased security activity associated with the exercise. Anaheim Bay may be partially or completely closed to civilian boat traffic for several hours during this time."

The exercise, dubbed "Exercise Solid Curtain-Citadel Shield '09", is not in response to any specific threat but is a regularly-scheduled exercise. This annual exercise was developed to enhance the training and readiness of Navy security personnel to respond to threats to installations and units. The exercise will be conducted on naval bases and installations throughout the continental United States from February 23-27, 2009. The Navy will not release any more specific timing information.

The weeklong security evolution is designed to enhance the training and readiness of Naval Security Force personnel to respond to threats to installations and units, using all processes security forces would implement in the event of an actual emergency.

"It is the largest anti-terrorism/force protection exercise conducted by any service in the Department of Defense," said Capt. Sam A. McCormick, USFF director for fleet anti-terrorism. "This exercise is very important to maintaining our edge."

"Solid Curtain is mainly an operational level training event, while Citadel Shield, [conducted] by Commander Naval Installation Command will provide advance guidance for personnel involved with the individual field training exercises," said McCormick.