Page 117 - Journal of Special Operations Medicine - Winter 2014

Figure 1 Homes in Breezy Point, New York, damaged military units, as we address general issues relating to
during Superstorm Sandy. expeditionary posture and overall deployment readiness
in support of contingency operations.

Predeployment
Personnel
The 227th assumed the SWRF mission in June 2012 in
preparation for the hurricane season. The purpose of
the mission was to prepare the unit to deploy within
NORTHCOM’s area of operation in response to natural
disasters. Before mission assumption, there were no ad-
ditional specific funds or unique training requirements
identified. However, the detachment commander at the
time focused the unit’s training on DSCA and HADR
mission requirements to include displaced personnel op-
Table 1 Lessons Learned erations, base camp sanitation, and entomological sur-
veillance and control. Further, the commander worked
Challenge Recommendation to address equipment deficiencies to ensure the 227th
Personnel shortages/ • Identify all available sources was fully mission capable. The unit conducted a change
nondeployable of personnel with required of command in August of 2012, at which point all
personnel MOS/AOCs equipment deficiencies had been mitigated; yet, person-
• Be prepared to cross level
nel nonavailability continued to negatively impact mis-
Rapid deployment • Become familiar with regulations sion readiness.
with 100% of unit covering movement and
equipment transportation during contingency
operations The 227th had a shortage of available personnel fol-
• Conduct unit level and installation lowing cross leveling with the other Preventive Medi-
level EDREs cine Detachment in the Battalion. The previous summer,
• Identify a pusher unit to provide the unit exchanged deployable 68S Soldiers (Preventive
support during rapid deployment
• Ensure all documentation for Medicine Technicians) with nondeployable Soldiers
hazardous and potentially from the 255th Preventive Medicine Detachment. At
hazardous material is readily the time of the exchange, the 255th was allocated to
available a CENTCOM mission and preparing to deploy. When
Emergency • Identify and coordinate in that did not occur, the deployable Soldiers were never
procurement of advance with installation level transferred back to the 227th. As a result, the 227th was
equipment/supplies support entities for contingency only seven of 13 deployable personnel (54% available)
for contingency operations when the unit received the order to deploy.
operations • Ensure supply personnel are
familiar with the DLA ESOC
Knowledge of other PM assets on an installation was
Integrating with • Identify and assign an LNO to instrumental in addressing the unit’s personnel issue and
your higher during imbed with the JCE
contingency • Ensure that your capabilities are facilitating the 227th rapid deployment. The six per-
operations clearly understood by your higher sonnel shortages were filled by other preventive assets
Political environment • Understand that the role of within the installation. Two 68S and one small-wheeled
of DSCA and HADR Title 10 elements during DSCA vehicle mechanic (91B) were sourced from within the
missions and HADR missions is generally battalion. The command team identified the other three
one of support preventive medicine technicians through relationships
• Civilian considerations have a with other assets outside of the battalion but within the
significant impact on mission
success and perception of success installation. These included the 47th Combat Support
• Anticipate interacting with the Hospital and the 508th Military Police Battalion. Thus,
media (Figure 5) networking within the preventive medicine community
Note: MOS, Military Occupation Specialty; AOC, Area of Concen- proved critical in this situation and can be an important
tration, EDRE, Emergency Deployment and Redeployment Exercise; part of planning for other units assuming a PTDO mis-
DLA, Defense Logistics Agency; ESOC, Emergency Supply Operations sion where fencing of deployable personnel is generally
Center; LNO, Liaison Officer; JCE, Joint Forces Land Component
Commander Coordination Element; DSCA, Defense Support to Civil not authorized and cross leveling may be required to
Authorities; HADR, humanitarian assistance and disaster response. cover specific mission requirements.

Force Health Protection Support After a Natural Disaster 107