NHB Medical Services continue during Force Protection Exercise on Mar 22/23.

By Naval Hospital Bremerton Public Affairs -- Naval Hospital Bremerton will continue with daily operations during Solid Curtain-Citadel Shield 2012, an annual Navy-wide Force Protection Exercise designed to enhance the training and readiness of security personnel to respond to threats to installations and units. NHB will participate in Solid Curtain-Citadel Shield 2012, commencing approximately 9 a.m. the morning of Thursday, March 22, and continuing through Saturday morning, March 24. Delays in accessing the bases are expected during this timeframe. While there will be no impact on Military Treatment Facility emergency and acute services at NHB, patients should anticipate potentially long wait time at the main gate. There will be an Independent Duty Corpsman assigned to the NHB Main Gate area to assess those beneficiaries arriving for an appointment to timely facilitate their base access. In the event of an actual emergency during the exercise when time is of the essence, patients should call 911 or go immediately to the nearest civilian medical facility for care. Emergency room visits are a TRICARE-covered benefit. Outpatient clinic schedules for March 22-23 have been revised to ensure patient access to emergent, urgent, and acute care. Inpatient, surgical and emergency services will not be interrupted. Access to Naval Branch Health Clinic Bangor will only be through Naval Base Kitsap Bangor Trident (main) Gate. Civilian beneficiaries who regularly utilize NBHC Bangor are recommended to seek treatment at NHB or the most conveniently located civilian medical facility. All beneficiaries are strongly encouraged to utilize outpatient services such as the NHB Main Pharmacy and Drive-Through Pharmacy either before or after Exercise Solid Curtain-Citadel Shield. Exercise Solid Curtain-Citadel Shield is not in response to any specific threat, but is a regularly scheduled exercise designed to enhance the readiness of Naval Security Forces. NBHC Everett Medical Services during Solid Curtain-Citadel Shield 2012. NBHC Everett will also be participating in Solid Curtain-Citadel Shield 2012 as a tenant command of Naval Station Everett. The clinics participation will commence at approximately 8:30 the morning of Thursday, March 22, continuing through Saturday morning. Daily operations will continue on Thursday March 22, however, all clinic operations will be curtailed on Friday March 23 due Naval Station Everetts closure and the clinics participation in a mass casualty exercise. All patients presenting to the clinic on Thursday March 22 must enter the base through the North Gate and are strongly encouraged to get any prescription refills prior to Friday March 23 since they will not have access to the base.