2009 Civil Air Patrol Annual Conference

1. 2009 Civil Air Patrol Annual Conference Major Mission Information Operations ... The Rest of the Story Major Al PabonNCR/PA

2. A Chance to Shine • Operational Missions let us do what we are trained to do. • Major Missions show our customers, partners, local communities and the nation what we do and what our potential is. • Positive Exposure allows us to “friend-raise” and gain potential members, additional resources and missions.

3. Missed PA Opportunities • Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005

4. What we did • Brig. Gen. Glasgow’s initial updates • Some Blogging • Some Photos • Some National Media • NHQ Assistance

5. Lessons Learned Lack of Information Officer: One fundamental shortcoming of this mission was the lack of an information officer from the onset. To some extent the problem was alleviated by asking Glasgow to put out daily information on our day-to-day accomplishments, but this was not sufficient to deal with nonstop incoming requests for information from local and national media. This must not be overlooked in the future. From the Mississippi Katrina DR Response MS 35-05A After Action Report

6. Lessons Learned • Make sure an IO and replacements are available • Regular information is distributed to the media (local, national, internal) • Updates need to be sent to members • Integrate wing and region PAOs into the response • Distributed (remote) operations are the future

7. Policy Response • CAPR 190-1 was rewritten • Supports CAPR 60-3 • Emphasis on training and qualifying IOs • Is written around NIMS/FEMA training • Policy item: IOs supply information to higher PAOs for distribution • Policy Item: Missions (actual and training) over 48 hours must have an MIO assigned

8. What We Need To Do • Have trained MIOs ready • Establish new training/qualification scheme • Train along NIMS/FEMA guidelines • Prepare additional electronic resources • Train like we work • Practice - Practice - Practice • Have distributed and decentralized operations

9. Examples • Iowa/Missouri floods of 2008 • Hurricane Ike 2008 • North Dakota floods of 2009

10. 2008 Iowa and Missouri Floods • Decentralized command • Region PAO engaged • Multiple wings (PAs and CCs) engaged • Web presence • Fed information to the field, media and NHQ

11. Hurricane Ike (2008) • Missions: Aerial imaging, transport, DR • 4 IOs at different bases fed information to Senior IO • Published stories and releases • Worked with media • Established remote operation

12. North Dakota Floods - 2009 • Warning order from NCR/PA • Web presence immediately established • Communications cell established in Minneapolis • No on-site IO until day 3 • Great NHQ support • Regular releases and updates over first 10 days • Periodic updates after that

13. Technology Goes to Work

14. Available Technology Available - Recognizable - Easy to Use

15. Preparing for the Next Mission • Have trained information officers ready • Engage others willing to help (MSAs, GTM, GTL, MO, scanner, Archer op) • Have trained wing and region PAOs ready • Exploit current technology • Engage operations/ES staff before the mission • Review previous after-action reports • Engage with State Emergency Management • Practice - Practice - Practice

17. Contact Us Major Al Pabon, NCR/PA al.pabon@mncap.org Major Arthur E. Woodgate, SWR/PA awoodgate@austin.rr.com