The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is more fully realizing its “good to great” ambition in part through the Readiness XXI initiative. Readiness XXI establishes the provisional Office of Contingency Operations and Preparedness by formally integrating elements of Military Programs G-3 and Civil Works Homeland Security Office into a single organization responsible for worldwide USACE missions in response to disaster events or military contingencies.
Whenever and wherever disaster strikes, many federal, state and local agencies rely upon the Corps to provide an extensive range of expertise. From engineering and construction support, to debris management, to critical infrastructure assessment and temporary repairs, to provision of temporary housing or facilities, to commodities and logistics system support, the Corps stands ready in any disaster to execute a broad portfolio of missions that sustain lives, support critical infrastructure needs, and set conditions for recovery.
Readiness XXI is an initiative to prepare for and respond to all civil disasters and military contingencies by combining the planning, training, reach back, preparedness, exercises and tools/equipment developed separately for the Field Force Engineering (FFE) and Readiness 2000 initiatives during the past 10 years. Both of these initiatives generated high performance response systems and capabilities that yielded exceptional results in support of such organizations as combatant commands, Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
By joining these two groups, the Corps provides engineering and public works capabilities to the Army and the nation that is unmatched. The Corps can place high performance teams and resources on the ground quickly. We have seen how FFE capabilities bear upon effectively accomplishing Corps missions as a result of deployments in support of hurricane response operations in 2005 and 2008.
The primary purpose of Readiness XXI is to integrate the high-performance Civil Works and Military Programs readiness and contingency operations systems into a unified contingency system that will provide organizations like the State, Defense and Homeland Security departments with streamlined access to a broad range of engineering, construction and technical services within a global theater of operations.
It makes sound organizational sense to increase the mutual support and interdependence between Military Programs and Civil Works contingency response programs because the Corps’ roles and missions are similar under the National Response Framework, and in support of combatant commands and the Department of Defense National Military Strategy. Our success in responding to major contingencies has been built upon the solid foundation of the “One Team, One Fight” strategy; Readiness XXI is the means by which the Corps takes our collective strength to the next level.
Changes associated with the provisional Office of Contingency Operations reflect actions stemming from broader Army transformational initiatives. For example, USACE has three significant specified tasks within the Army Stability Operations Action Plan, and both the FFE and Civil Military Emergency Preparedness programs are supported fully in the Program Objective Memorandum for 2010 to 2015.
The Readiness XXI program calls for establishing several branches under the Contingency Operations umbrella:
- Force Management and Personnel (G-31): Responsible for staffing and deployment management including the Rehired Annuitant Program.
- Corps of Engineers Remedial Action Program (CERAP) Branch: Monitors military and civilian remedial action program issues and actions implemented to correct deficiencies in the Corps’ contingency response.
- Current Operations (G-33): Unifies contingency response activities, including permanent cadre, readiness, deployable tactical operations system and ENGLink.
- Homeland Security (G-34): Manages programs related to contingency operations and preparedness: Critical Infrastructure Security Program, Defense Critical Infrastructure, Critical Infrastructure Risk Management and Flood Risk Management.
- Plans, Doctrine and Strategic Initiatives (G-35): Develops command contingency doctrine and coordinates its integration with Army and Joint doctrines.
- Training and Exercise (G-37): Integrates Readiness Support Center capabilities to improve support for training and exercises through the command for effective management of resources.
- Program Management (G-38): Consolidates Military and Civil Works program management and execution.
- Future Concepts and Requirements (G-39): Identifies, evaluates and implements solutions for the Corps’ significant challenges in supporting warfighting, stability operations and civil works.