Coordinating Military Response to Disasters: Defense Support of Civil Authorities, History for Haiti Earthquake, Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy, Use of Tailored Brigade Forces and Training

This report has been professionally converted for accurate flowing-text e-book format reproduction. The attacks by terrorist on September 11, 2001, prompted the Department of Defense (DoD) to formulate a new set of capabilities support to civilian authorities during natural disasters and emergencies. In April 2002, the DoD created a new geographic combatant command Northern Command (U.S.NORTHCOM). The Unified Command Plan (UCP) established the United States Northern Command (NORTHCOM) to provide command and control of the department's homeland defense efforts and to coordinate Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA). The need for the DoD to adapt to the changing environment requires a more prudent response. The action and response efforts of the past are to upgrade to meet the challenges of disasters and emergencies within the homeland. While key steps in planning, preparation, funding, and training in support of civil support occurred, identification of a dedicated force to respond to the U.S. territories remains a challenge. In reviewing the required capabilities for support of civil authorities, it is clear the majority of the assets are located in the Army National Guard. They are geographically and organizationally dispersed throughout the National Guard. The DoD needs to identify a tailored response force of Army National Guard Soldiers as the optimal solution for disaster response specifically to the territories of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Determining the right mix for of forces to preempt an incident on U.S. soil as well as defining the optimal disaster response force is a challenge for NORTHCOM. Moreover, it is a definite challenge for NORTHCOM to respond quickly and effectively outside the United States mainland. With this role, should the DoD and specifically USNORTHCOM create a force structure to support the DSCA requirements in the territories of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands? Yes, NORTHCOM must create a force to respond effectively to disasters in the territories because of their location outside the mainland U.S. Kristina Emmons in her book Specialized Regional National Guard Brigades- The Army's Federal Disaster Response Force in 2012, she argued the federal government suitable response to response to disasters and emergencies is through National Guard specialized brigades. With this concept, I recommend two options for DoD to select the Army National Guard as the dedicated response force under NORTHCOM. The two options include using the disaster stricken state's National Guard units in federal status, or using a FEMA regionally located tailored National Guard brigade in support. The analysis will show the option of a tailored National Guard brigade as the most effective solution and answer to the disaster response problem in the territories based on training, structure and resources. In order to react with a response nationally to catastrophes, DoD should look at modifications to the current response force when there is a disaster in the territories to ensure a capable response within the affected areas. To support my argument, section one outlines the roles and responsibilities of the DoD and other governmental agencies. Section two outlines the DoD initiatives to improve disaster relief response. Section three examines current DoD frameworks and a comparison of response of two noted natural disasters. Section four analyzes the two options of the affected area National Guard forces and the tailored regional located brigade for responsiveness and capabilities. Section five will display the recommendations and conclusions.

This compilation includes a reproduction of the 2019 Worldwide Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community.

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