Advisory Panel on Department of Defense Capabilities for Support of
Civil Authorities after Certain Incidents
SUBPANEL 2: PLANS AND PROGRAMS FOR TRAINING AND EQUIPPING
MEETING MINUTES
NOVEMBER 23, 2009
LOCATION: NORTHCOM HEADQUARTERS, PETERSON AFB, CO
PERSONS PRESENT:
Subpanel Members:
Dennis Celletti (Subpanel Chairman)
Erv Rokke (Advisory Panel)
Steve Abbot (Advisory Panel Chairman)
U.S. Northern Command:
Representatives from J7 (Training)
OSD Staff:
Joe McMenamin, Principal Director, Homeland Defense Domains and Defense Support
of Civil Authorities (OASD-HD&ASA)
Drew Kuepper, Alternate Designated Federal Officer
RAND
Dave Oaks
The meeting commenced at 12:00 pm. The Advisory Panel members and U.S. Northern
Command (NORTHCOM) staff discussed issues relating to scenario development,
training, and performance standards.
In a discussion among subpanel members, it was suggested that training and performance
standards could be most important for the supanel’s focus. The question was asked, who
establishes standards and for which entities (such as civil support teams or the CBRNE
consequence management response force (CCMRF))? Most activity seems to be related
to scenario development instead of defining standards.
A J7 representative suggested that each entity had unique methods for standards
development, but they have been working together using Joint Mission Essential Task
Lists (JMETL).
The subpanel asked: How can DoD capabilities be rationalized with what the rest of the
federal government and civil sector provide? It was discussed that DHS’s mandate is to
coordinate emerging plans in each state and prepare gap analyses. Each state has done
some type of threat assessment, leading to the creation of about 275 scripted mission
assignments for the federal government.
The subpanel discussed that the process between NORTHCOM and DHS to share
information on capabilities has improved, but the core issues are exercising and
evaluating gaps in capability requirements. In addition, NORTHCOM has very
constrained resources. It can conduct an exercise with four states per year.
The subpanel and NORTHCOM representatives discussed the training of the first
CCMRF. CCMRF 10-1, an Active Component unit, went through its certification
exercise 45 days after assuming its mission, which is different from the sequence of
events for units going to combat theaters, and it will start retraining to CENTCOM tasks
soon in anticipation of deployment to Iraq and/or Afghanistan.
NORTHCOM representatives stated that the next step is tripartite: training exercises, a
national level exercise/assessment program (led by DHS), and national-level policy
development, with state and local participation.
The meeting adjourned at 1:15 pm.
[Approved]
Dennis Celletti
Chairman, Subpanel, Plans and Programs for Training and Equipping
Advisory Panel on Department of Defense Capabilities for Support of Civil Authorities
After Certain Incidents