APDODCSCA Meeting 11-24-09

The Department of Defense posted a meeting notice in today’s Federal register announcing that the Advisory Panel on Department of Defense Capabilities for Support of Civil Authorities after Certain Incidents (APDODCSCA, don’t you love DOD names and acronyms; makes me homesick) will have a public meeting at the Air Force Academy outside of Colorado Springs, CO on November 24th. It will be preceded by a one day classified meeting at the nearby Paterson AFB on the 23rd. According to the Federal Register Notice: “The purpose of this session [open session; 11-24-09] is to obtain information on the role of the Defense Coordinating Officer (DCO); and on the mission and activities of the U.S. Marine Corps Chemical-Biological Incident Response Force (CBIRF), the National Guard Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Conventional High-Explosives Enhanced Force Package (CERFP), and National Guard Civil Support Team (CST). The panel will also discuss research topics and future meetings.” (74 FR 57457) This meeting should be interesting because DOD is further ahead standing up these ‘organizations’ than DHS is in defining how they might be integrated into Federal responses for WMD attacks. This lack of clearly defined mission requirements must certainly be complicating DOD’s efforts. I will, at this point, put in my plug for the use of these forces as part of the federal response for a successful terrorist attack on Tier I and Tier II high-risk chemical facilities with significant inventories of toxic release COI. Large area operations in a chemically contaminated environment should clearly be part of the training and response requirements for these forces. Only DOD has the capability in manpower, equipment and training resources to be able to do the search, rescue, decontamination and medical response operations in large urban areas contaminated by toxic chemicals. Written statements submitted for consideration by the Advisory Panel must be submitted to the Designated Federal Officer (DFO), Catherine Polmateer (Catherine.Polmateer@osd.mil) no later than 10:00 am EST on November 18th. There may be limited opportunities for oral presentations to the Advisory Panel; personnel wishing to make such presentations must contact the DFO (703-697-6370) by the same date and time. The DFO can also be contacted by mail at: Catherine Polmateer OASD(HD&ASA), Resources Integration 2600 Defense Pentagon Washington, DC 20301-2600