Air Guard focuses on equipment for domestic operations

By Air Force Master Sgt. Mike R. Smith
National Guard Bureau

Air Force Maj. Gen. Garry Dean, commander of 1st Air Force and U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command, addressed nearly 450 Guardmembers during the Air Guard's Domestic Operations Equipment Requirements conference in Baltimore, Md., Aug. 2, 2010. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Mike R. Smith) (Released)
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BALTIMORE, Md., (8/3/10) - Hundreds of Air National Guard members are meeting here this week to discuss and prioritize the Air National Guard's equipment requirements for future natural and manmade disasters.

The Domestic Operations Equipment Requirements (DOERs) conference provides Air Guard leaders, subject matter experts and others a platform to meet and discuss their needs for domestic missions.

"It is your job to identify and prioritize the requirements essential to ensuring the link (with civilian authorities) is both effective and efficient," Air Force Lt. Gen. Harry Wyatt III, director of the Air Guard, wrote in his memo to the conferees.

They represent the units, states and FEMA regions they serve.

Working groups were held on public health and medical services; public safety; public works and engineering; emergency management; transportation; communications; mass care, emergency assistance, housing and human services; oils and hazardous material response.    

Guard officials said the working groups consider several factors, including:

– Ways to apply military capabilities resident in units to domestic operations

– How to help the many levels of authorities work together and bring together a myriad of responders and their capabilities

– The gaps in response capabilities and how to ensure solutions are interoperable with both civil and military responders

Air Force Maj. Gen. Garry Dean, commander of 1st Air Force and U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command, said there has been recent increased reliance and acceptance of the Guard and its missions.

"The timing of this conference is truly amazing as to where the Guard is right now," he said.

Dean noted the corporate process of DOERS was to generate the data supporting Air Guard's requirements.

"We must continue to strike toward commonality and better synchronization of our components," he said.

The Air Guard held its first DOERs last year, which produced a 2011 Essential-10 Requirements book.

Military, elected and other top officials used that book to understand communicate and prioritize the Air Guard's domestic requirements for funding and resources.

Wyatt told the conferees they had a "daunting task before them" this year.

"Our job would be difficult enough if we were in charge and trying to fulfill our own requirements, but we are just one small element in a whole of government responsibility and must try to envision how the Air Guard fits within a much larger, ever changing matrix of authorities and responders," he said.

The working groups will produce a final briefing for Wyatt and a new 2012 Essential-10 Requirements book this week.

"It's a working conference," said Air Force Col. Michael McDonald, commander of the Air Guard Readiness Center at Joint Base Andrews, Md.

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