Active duty and National Guard units have been used in the past during natural disaster response operations both domestically and internationally. There are capabilities and limitations of using the two groups to support disaster relief efforts. The military, for instance, provides operational response resources in response to a disaster yet it is not the primary military mission. The active duty and the National Guard units have the operational capabilities to translate presidential decisions into efficient and prompt actions on the ground. They possess operational staff in large numbers which are well trained and equipped for such missions. The active unit, for instance, can mobilize communication infrastructure and logistics and planning capabilities (Bissell, Jensen & Feldman-Jensen, 2016; Oliver, 2011).
Challenges arise from the use of active duty and national guards in disaster response both domestically and internationally. The two units have different missions and improving response to future catastrophic events cannot be left to them. There are also limitations in the federal law and policies that cause the active duty unit to be dependent on request for assistance slowing the deployment of resources in the initial response. The active groups and National guards are not well coordinated, and the two serve different bosses (Bissell, Jensen & Feldman-Jensen, 2016; Oliver, 2011).
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
The department of defense currently uses a pull system that offers support to the civic authorities following a special request from the different jurisdictions. The process itself is slow and bureaucratic. The FEMA makes an application which is assessed by the DOD and approved by the secretary of defense. A mission assignment for the active duty military forces or capabilities for the requested support and a 21 step process must be followed before the military capability can be delivered to the site (Bissell, Jensen & Feldman-Jensen, 2016; Oliver, 2011).
Separate command structures for the National Guard and active duty unit affects the unity of efforts of the two groups. The chances are high that the command of the active duty is not aware of the available National guard forces on the ground. It is difficult to operate at full efficiency if there are challenges in the command structure of military troops on the ground given that it is difficult to determine what the other forces are doing or where they are located. It is therefore difficult to assign mission matched to the needs of the situation. Similarly, there are command relationship issues that create confusion about the roles and responsibilities of the two units (Bissell, Jensen & Feldman-Jensen, 2016; Oliver, 2011).
Reference
Bissell, R., Jensen, S., & Feldman-Jensen, S. (2016). Preparedness and Response for Catastrophic Disasters . CRC Press.
Oliver, C. (2011). Catastrophic disaster planning and response . Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.
