This plan was developed by direction of the Deputy Secretary of Defense. Its aim is to improve the military capabilities required to effectively support local, state, and federal agency consequence management response to terrorist attacks. These attacks may include the use of nuclear, radiological, biological, and chemical weapons - Weapons of Mass Destruction.
The Quadrennial Defense Review and National Defense Panel Report underscore the need to fully address the possibility that a future adversary will use biological or chemical weapons and integrate that threat into defense planning. Appropriate acquisition, intelligence and domestic response operations will result. Emerging doctrine, training and equipment requirements must be developed in concert with this theme. Recognizing the importance and understanding the complexities involved, we must provide the force with a capability to defend against and respond to asymmetric attacks at military installations or support the response to attacks on our homeland.
The very nature of a WMD attack places tremendous pressure on the local response community. As a result, consequence management planning is just as demanding and even evolutionary in many respects. This plan outlines the concept to fill existing gaps in consequence management response capabilities. It defines the concepts, model, direction, and funding required for appropriate, substantive, integrated military support to local, state, and federal government authorities responding to the use of weapons of mass destruction. Specifically, the plan focuses on improving DoD's support for the response to a WMD attack. This plan includes response options. Options that explore ways to incorporate and leverage unique Reserve Component assets and capabilities into the overarching local, state, and federal interagency effort to assist first responders.
This effort reinforces the Department of Defense supporting role in the overall domestic response capability. Furthermore, an efficient response requires cooperation among federal departments and agencies, as well as state and local authorities. Each of these governmental organizations possesses unique responsibilities, priorities, and demands on resources. Success depends on a fully integrated effort that shares both a common vision and mutual goals and objectives. Consequently, this plan builds upon previous interagency work (most notably the Senior Interagency Coordinating Group Strategic Plan written August 29, 1997) and develops DoD capabilities to support those concepts and initiatives.
The complementary skills of the Reserve Component create a more robust DoD response capability that must be integrated into a comprehensive WMD consequence management response. The realities of an operational environment are characterized by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, rapidly changing technologies, and a smaller military with severely constrained resources. This plan reinforces the principles in the Defense Reform Initiative and conveys the structure and direction required for implementing and institutionalizing changes necessary in the DoD for successful program execution.
The first part (Chapters 1-3) defines the plan’s purpose and scope, identifies the nature of the problems we face as a nation in responding to WMD attacks, and assesses current capabilities to respond. It sets the conceptual foundation of the response process and highlights the need to enhance currently limited response capabilities. The second part (Chapters 4-6) identifies the tasks for improving military response capabilities, describes the required response elements, and outlines the training requirements necessary to establish and sustain the essential skill levels.
Functional tasks which the military anticipates from local, state, and other federal agencies have been defined for the DoD response elements based on the Emergency Support Functions in the Federal Response Plan. Specific elements have been identified to perform these functional tasks. The integration of these elements into the current response model provides a flexible, robust response capability that can be applied to support local, state, and federal responders.
Finally, the annexes provide the framework for a continued effort by the program office. They provide additional information, references, points of contact, and specific equipment and training requirements for those elements that will be initially organized. The first year program sets the foundation to establish a Rapid Assessment and Initial Detection capability in every state and territory. It also begins the identification of, training for, and equipping of reconnaissance and decontamination elements from the existing chemical companies in National Guard and Reserve Component. Other elements will necessarily be refined and focused during the first year of the program. The plan provides sufficient detail to establish a program office to integrate these activities, execute the FY99 budget request, and field the initial military support elements. As this program develops, the new program office performs a key role in synchronizing the RC integration activities with existing interagency programs.
Since the Tiger Team’s effort was executed in short measure, portions of this plan will require additional study and development. Of particular note are the results of the DoD capability survey. It was evident early on in the survey process that the Department sponsored training in the Domestic Preparedness Program that could also be of real benefit to selected members of the RC. It is envisioned during the first year of this integration program that a small cadre at each installation, reserve center and armory will receive the (Awareness Biological Chemical Plus) ABC+ training. ABC+ is based on the Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical (NBC) awareness course currently being taught in the NLD City Training Program. In addition to the awareness training, key leaders and individuals will receive training in WMD emergency procedures. These procedures will also reinforce the proper techniques, protocols, and references that are essential to first responders. The intent is to answer questions that might be asked and provide an awareness of particular items to be alert to as the events develop during a WMD event. An ABC+ checklist will be provided that will guide the person through a series of questions that provide a profile of a potential WMD attack. ABC+ training will be provided on an interactive CD-ROM. At a minimum, full time National Guard and Reserve Component staff members need to complete the ABC+ training.
Overall, this is an integration effort, one that requires a long-term commitment. The Program Office must assume sponsorship and follow the major themes outlined in this work -- both now and into the future.