Operation Noble Eagle Family and Soldier Readiness Command Information Program

Operation Noble EagleFamily and Soldier ReadinessCommand Information Program 20 Sep 2001

Agenda • Framework for Command Information and the Family • Soldier and Family Readiness Support System

TRADOC Family ReadinessCommand Information Objective Develop a sustainable Command-wide Information campaign to support Families • Empower Family Readiness Programs throughout TRADOC by providing the necessary support for success • Provide timely and accurate information to families from reliable sources • Provide FRG Leaders and Commander’s with a guide to assist in the development and execution of an effective command information program.

Family Readiness Guide for an Effective Command Information Program

Contents

Family ReadinessCommand Information Mission Conduct an aggressive campaign to inform and educate the Army family about the 11 Sep national tragedy by providing accurate and timely information. • Keep spouses, children and parents of soldiers and DA civilians informed on key developments as they affect the Army, the Armed Forces, our installations and our communities • Provide clear, accurate, and current information in a timely manner • Establish Family Readiness Group Leaders, Commanders and DA civilians as reliable, trusted, and credible sources of timely and relevant information • Maintain credibility and confidence in the Army

Elements of an EffectiveCommand Information Program

Family Readiness Audiences • Spouses • Children • Parents of Soldiers and spouses • Teachers • Youth Directors • Child Development Personnel • Army Community Service Personnel • Unit leaders • Soldiers • Local retirees • Civilian workforce • Members of nearby civilian communities

Major Themes • Army Families are important! • Soldiers need the support of their families • The Army is committed to taking care of families • There will no quick resolution. The way ahead is a complex, long-term national campaign • The safety of the Army Family is important • Operational Security is paramount • Remember the special needs of children during times of tragedy • Communication within the family becomes extremely important in challenging times as those we are in now • Force protection is a major consideration in the planning of military operations • Families will be kept informed • Leaders care about the families of soldiers and DA civilians • Children want to understand what’s happening and how it affects their family

Major Themes • Teachers, youth directors and care providers play an important role in our children’s lives • Be confident that the outstanding training that your spouse receives prepares them for their mission. • The Army is fully capable now of executing its mission • Current military operations are NOT business as usual • Resolute, visible leadership is required and you are a part of it! • Balance compassion and mission • TRADOC continues to train soldiers and develop leaders • Increased situational awareness, vigilance is the watchword. Report anything unusual. • This is an international effort • U.S. Forces to become the World’s dominant antiterrorism and counterterrorism force • The nation’s citizens are firmly behind their military forces

Family ReadinessCommand Messages For the ENTIRE ARMY FAMILY: • The Army is well prepared to deal with the challenges that confront our nation; your installation leadership has a professional plan to best protect you and your family members. • The nation can confidently depend on its Army for national security. • We care about about Army families! And we care about their safety! • The U.S. Military response will be a long-term campaign that will require a focused international effort. There is no quick fix to this complex world situation • Due to required operational security in military missions combating terrorism there will be much information that cannot be discussed. OPSEC is paramount. • Army families must stay steady, be prepared to hang in there for the long haul.

Family ReadinessCommand Messages For THE ENTIRE ARMY FAMILY (continued): • Maintain continuous, open communications up and down the chain of command with all the members of the extended Army family • This tragedy is a very personal loss for us all and there are resources available to assist you in dealing with your losses and your grief. • This is a new type of war that poses a new set of challenges which demand that we bring to bear all elements of our national might. We have taken tragic losses, but we are fully prepared to accomplish our missions. • The Army remains a steadying influence – the people of our nation draw confidence from the Army. The terrorist acts committed against our country were focused on the will of our people: But the will and the spirit of our people are strong, and their faith in our military is unwavering.

Family Readiness Command Messages For THE INDIVIDUAL MILITARY FAMILY REF YOUR CHILDREN: • Communicate with your family: It is healthy to have family “talks” about what has happened in our nation and how it affects your family. • Reassure your children: Tell them that they are safe and in no danger. Listen to your children. Encourage them to tell you what they are experiencing and feeling. • Explain to your children that only a few people, relatively speaking, were hurt. It is easy for children to conclude the problem is much bigger than it is and everybody is dying. • Demonstrate concern and love for your family

Family ReadinessCommand Messages ForTHE SPOUSE: • Search out resources on your installation that provide assistance. • Support your soldier – it enables them to do their job. Help your Army spouse stay focused on the mission and be resolute in your support • Communication within the family becomes extremely important in challenging times as those we are in now • Support your fellow military families • Stay in touch with your spouse, call write or email them when they are away. Your words and thoughts mean a lot to them. For THE COMMANDER: • Make opportunities to talk with family members • Explain the mission of the spouse’s unit and how the unit fits into the structure of the command, the Army and the Department of Defense • Inform families why you and their spouse cannot discuss sensitive or classified information.

Family ReadinessCommand Messages • Remember that you are the strength for your children • Make sure that the rear detachment has accurate contact information so they can keep you informed For THECHILDREN: • Your mother / father soldier loves you and you are very important to them • Try not to worry about your Mother /Father because the army has trained them well and will take care of them for you • What your Mother /Father are doing for our country is very important to all people of our nation • Thank you for sharing your Mother/Father with the army

Family ReadinessCommand Messages For THECHILDREN (CONTINUED): • Sometimes, when your mother/father are away on a mission you get lonely and miss them. This is normal and ok. It will make you feel better if you talk to those in your family • Your mother/father miss you when they’re away and they love to get messages or mail For THE TEACHERS, YOUTH DIRECTOR AND CHILD CARE PROVIDERS: • You are extremely important in the lives of our children. They look to your for strength, guidance, compassion and understanding • Communicate with parents if you notice the child experiencing difficulties or displaying behavior that is unusual for them

Family Readiness Communication Points • COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR FAMILY: It is healthy to have family “talks” about what has happened in our nation and how it affects your family. • Tell your children you love them • Reduce your child's exposure to the trauma by turning off news coverage. • If your children have become more concerned about death, discuss with them your personal beliefs concerning what happens after people die. • If your children have become more aggressive, talk to them about anger and more appropriate ways for anger expression. • If your children are making jokes about what happened or laughing, don't get angry with them. This is their way of trying to cope. • Reassure your children that the injured people are in the hospital and being cared for by doctors.

Family Readiness Communication Points • DEMONSTRATE YOUR CONCERN AND LOVE FOR YOU FAMILY: Try to normalize family life and structures as soon as you can. Cuddle with your children to increase their sense of security. Reassure your children that the injured people are in the hospital and being cared for by doctors. • Change the focus by going to a movie or doing some other enjoyable activity. • If your young children are having nightmares, let them temporarily, for a few days, sleep in your room, sleep with a sibling, or sleep with the light on. • -As a family, take some positive action such as giving blood, donating money, or writing letters to the families of the victims. • -If you are religious, take your children to church to share in the comfort this can give.

Family Readiness Communication Points • MILITARY MIGHT AND MISSION CAPABILITY: Our military is powerful, and it’s prepared. We are fully prepared to meet all of our operational missions. We are committed to protect the American people, and our men and women in uniform around the world. • A COMPLEX, LONG TERM MILITARY CAMPAIGN: The military challenge we face will be an extremely complex, long-term campaign. We must realize there is no quick resolution and we must be prepared for the “long haul.” As time passes we must not become complacent but remain vigilant and ready! • A DELIBERATE AND FOCUSED INTERNATIONAL EFFORT: There is not a rapid, single or “one strike” response that will resolve this multi dimensional threat. It will take a deliberate and focused, long-term international effort to guarantee victory over terrorism.

Family ReadinessCommunication Points • SUPPORT OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE: The American people stand staunchly behind our Armed Forces. Our nation has been steadfast in its commitment to the security of our society and the preservation of our freedoms. At every turn in the course of our nation’s history, leadership has emerged as the necessary stabilizer to ensure our national security. • STALWART LEADERSHIP: Army leaders are rock steady, and by tradition are at their best when our nation is in need. We must visibly demonstrate that we are in charge of our destiny. We, in concert with our President and our nation’s leadership team, are dedicated to the safety and well-being of the men and women in uniform while maintaining readiness to meet our country’s needs at home and abroad.

Family ReadinessCommunication Points • TRADOC’S ROLE: Our role to the Army and the nation remains to train soldiers and grow leaders. The tragedy suffered by our nation will require increased security of our forces, installations, and people. Although we may provide support to civil authorities, we must continue the mission of our core tasks. • FORCE PROTECTION: Our long-term force protection posture and requirements are unknown at this time, but we should anticipate continued Force Protection Measures. Follow-on force protection requirements will be tailored to threat assessments. Simply stated, force protection will become a dimension of our mission environment that will demand our continued vigilance. Force protection measures that are readily visible to the general public may be acknowledged by local commanders but only in response to specific query. Do not discuss missions or operational details.

Family Readiness Communication Points • COMPASSION AND MISSION READINESS: Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. This tragedy will remind us all of the challenges our nation faces as a peaceful and prosperous democracy. Our country can remain confident in its army’s ability to ensure national security so that the liberties and rights envisioned by our founding fathers endure. • THE THREAT: Terrorists attack targets that are vulnerable, have a high psychological impact on a society, produce significant publicity, and demonstrate a government’s inability to provide security. Both critical facilities and prominent individuals are potential terrorist targets. Military facilities are a symbol of national power; a source of arms, ammunition and explosives; and a prestigious target that adds to the terrorists reputation.

Major Communication Points • PRIMARY MILITARY ORGANIZATION RESPONSIBLE FOR COORDINATING MILITARY DISASTER RELIEF SUPPORT: The Secretary of Defense has designated US Joint Forces Command as the supported CINC responsible for conducting consequence management support operations within disaster areas covered by the Presidential Disaster Declaration. As such, US Joint Forces Command becomes the primary military organization responsible for coordinating the Department of Defense effort in providing support to the Lead Federal Agency during disaster assistance. U.S. military units selected for response will work closely with local, state and other federal agencies in a supporting role. The U.S. military is one of several federal agencies involved in such events. DoD components train to provide such support to civil authorities, in addition to their primary military responsibilities.

Major Communication Points • KEY PERSONNEL RECALL STATUS: Commanders and key personnel will be in recall status and readily available within one hour after notification. Operations centers will be fully manned and capable of directing crisis action for security of our forces and personnel. Crisis response teams and quick reaction security forces will maintain a heightened readiness posture and take additional steps to train and certify additional forces to maintain this capability for the foreseeable future. • POSSE COMITATUS: Military support to civil authorities in the U.S. is governed by several laws and policies. For example, the posse comitatus act prohibits use of Army and Air Force personnel to execute the civil laws of the U.S., except in cases and under circumstances expressly authorized by the constitution or act of congress. The proscription has been extended by regulation to the Navy and Marine Corps. Normally, military forces will act in a supporting role to a lead federal civil authority.

Major Communication Points • PRESIDENT AND SECRETARY OF DEFENSE POSITIONS: President Bush and Secretary Rumsfeld have made clear that as a country we are entering into a campaign against terrorism that has to be sustained, broad and effective. The enemy that has struck has attacked not just our people but all freedom-loving people everywhere in the world. The United States of America will use all of its resources to conquer this enemy. We will rally the world. The President has directed that the military forces be ready!

Major Communication Points • Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz, September 13, 2001, from the Pentagon: “You don’t do it with just a single military strike, no matter how dramatic. You don’t do it with just military forces alone, you do it with the full resources of the U.S. government. These [terrorists] try to hide, but they won’t be able to hide forever. They think their harbors are safe, but they won’t be safe forever. I think one has to say it’s not just simply a matter of capturing people and holding them accountable, but removing the sanctuaries [and] removing the support systems. And that’s why it has to be a broad and sustained campaign. It’s not going to stop if a few criminals are taken care of.” • Mobilization for Homeland Defense: The Secretary of Defense has requested and the President has granted the authority to order to active duty up to 50,000 reserve personnel including reservists from the following services: Army, 10,000; Air Force, 13,000; Navy, 3,000; Marines, 7,500; Coast Guard, 2,000. These reservists will augment active duty forces to meet the need for logistical support, engineering, communications, air and ground security, port security and civil affairs.

Family Readiness Communication Points • EMERGENCY FUNDING: The United States will use all of its resources to bring those responsible for these attacks to justice – and it is not restricted to a single entity, state or non-state entity. It will require a sustained and broadly based effort. As a down payment, Congress is working to immediately pass an emergency appropriation for FY 2001 for $40 billion to provide for recovery, investigation and national security enhancement. • This bill sends a strong signal to the perpetrators of these terrorist attacks that the United States is serious about tracking them down and bringing them to justice. • The funding provides significant resources to assist rescue efforts, repairs damaged facilities and provides the necessary resources to maintain national security. • The passage of this bill allows the federal government to use every tool in its arsenal to help America recover from this tragedy and to locate and punish the cowards whom committed this crime.

Family ReadinessCommunication Venues • FRG Leader’s Face-to-Face Discussions • Commander’s face-to-face discussions • FRG Newsletter • Command newspapers • Commander’s letters and/or videos • Web pages • Town Hall meetings • Family Readiness Meetings • School Classrooms • Parent-Teacher Organizations • Clergy • Local Leaders and Civic Organizations • Civilian news media • Command television channels

Family ReadinessFeedback To measure the effectiveness of your Command Information Program you must evaluate how well you: • Keep Audiences accurately informed • Provide clear guidance and intent • Answer questions and solve problems • Maintain credibility and confidence in The Army • Maximize our communications resources

Family ReadinessFeedback The measures of effectiveness provide you the feedback you need to evaluate your program success. These measures of effectiveness include: • Compliance with the guidance and instruction you communicated. If, by their actions, your audience has complied with or acted upon the information you told them, you know that you communicated successfully. • The content of the questions asked. If you continue to receive questions concerning information you thought was disseminated and understood, you were not successful. • Surveys and Questionnaires. These are excellent tools for feedback. They provide those completing them the opportunity to tell you what else you need to communicate or what you missed.

Family ReadinessFeedback • Talk with your intended audiences. Make the opportunity to talk to those you want informed – ask them questions that will give you an indication of what they know. • Website Visits. Track how many “visits” you have to your organization websites. If the site provides quality, credible information, users will continue to refer to it for information. • Senior NCOs. Senior NCOs are key in communication. Use the NCO support chain to gauge soldiers understanding of your messages. Remember, effective listening is critical in evaluating communication and understanding. • Listening. As leaders, we must listen not only to what our soldiers are communicating directly to us, but also to the overall “climate” of our squads, sections, platoons etc. • External Media. Have your PAO complete a content analysis of local newspaper articles, TV and radio news stories to see how many messages were conveyed to the public.

Operation Noble Eagle Family and Soldier Readiness Command Information Program