Potential standards and methods for the National Guard's homeland response force

• Main Author: Van Alstyne, Christian M.
• Other Authors: Simeral, Robert
• Published: Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School 2012
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10945/5535

CHDS State/Local === Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited === In 2009, the Office of the Secretary of Defense directed the creation of 10 National Guard Homeland Response Force (HRF) units to provide regional chemical biological radiological nuclear and explosive (CBRNE) and disaster response in each of the 10 FEMA regions beginning in September 2011. The HRF was selected to fill a regional CBRNE capability gap. The HRF concept is a 566-person National Guard unit tasked to provide command, CBRNE assessment, decontamination, casualty care, logistics, security, and rescue in support of civilian officials during a regional-level CBRNE event or disaster. With domestic response mission and overseas deployment requirements, the HRF faces the difficult challenge of meeting both civilian response and military battlefield standards. Although some DoD organizations have had similar domestic response missions, no precedent for the HRF exists. The HRF reflects an evolution of military units with CBRNE and disaster related missions beginning in the 1990s. Government and private criticisms of these previous DoD CBRNE include wasted tax dollars, poor training strategies, and poor links to National Planning Scenarios. This thesis provides lessons learned from case studies of previous U.S. and Israeli CBRNE and disaster response organizations while recommending standards that the new HRF can use for improved implementation.