3 part paper
braley6
fairley_essay_1.docx1
RELOCATING 6TH AIR MOBILITY WING AIRCRAFT, RESOURCES, AND PERSONEL TO SAFETY DURING THE EVENT OF A HURRICANE Comment by Robert Ditch: Remember your paper is supposed to be on the organization itself and how to improve It towards its mission and not a subject or an action of this organization. This is supposed to be a strategic plan not a response to an emergency plan; which you are leading to becoming. It is supposed to take the organization from where it is today to where it can be in 3-5 years. Comment by Robert Ditch: Personnel
A Strategic Planning Project Submitted
By
Tisha L. Fairley
to
University of Maryland University College
HMLS 304
Professor
Dr. Robert L. Ditch, EdD
September 8, 2014
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER
1. INTRODUCTION
Background ……………………………………………………………..3
Statement of the Problem………………………………………………..4
Operational Definitions…………………………………………….…...5
Significance of the Study..…………….………………………………..6
Summary……………………………………………………………….. 6
2. LITERATURE REVIEW
Pertinent Studies………………………………………………………..
Reflection …………….………………………………………………...
Summary………………………………………………………………..
3. STRATEGIC PLAN
Introduction…………………………….……………………………….
Restatement of the Problem…………………………………….……….
Mission and Vision Statement…………………………………………..
Strategic Plan Description……………………………………………….
Summary………………………………………………………………...
4. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Conclusion………………………………………………………………
Recommendations………………………………………………………
REFERENCES …………………………………………………………………
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background
The 6th Air Mobility Wing’s mission is “to generate and execute air refueling, airlift, and contingency response capabilities while providing base support for joint coalition and interagency partners including U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations command (Macdill air force, 2013).” The 6th AMW consist of the 6th Operations Group, the 6th Mission Support Group, the 6th Medical Group, and the 6th Maintenance Group. MacDill is also home to 39 other Mission Partners including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) fleet of weather tracking and research aircraft. It’s also the home of approximately 18 KC-135R Stratotanker aircraft and 3 C-37A. The KC-135 is able to refuel other aircraft in the air, anywhere in the world, and is also capable of transporting litter and ambulatory patients using patient support pallets during aeromedical evacuations. The C-37A utilizes highly experienced crews to provide global airlift on special assignment missions directly supporting the Combatant Commanders of U.S CENTCOM, U.S. SOCOM, U.S. SOCENT, U.S. NORTHCOM, U.S. TRANSCOM, and U.S. STRATCOM. Approximately 10,500 military and 4,000 civilian personnel are assigned to MacDill Air Force Base, Fla (MacDill air force, 2013). MacDill AFB, Tampa, FL is home to all services: the Air Force, Army, Marine, Navy, and Coast Guard. Comment by Robert Ditch: MacDill Air Force Base Comment by Robert Ditch: Spell out all acronyms Comment by Robert Ditch: I know what these are but in academic writing you need to spell out these acronyms for the reader. Comment by Robert Ditch: Same as above
MacDill is on the Southwestern tip of the Interbay Peninsula on the west coast of Florida. The base is located on 5,767 acres of land; 906 acres are wetlands (MacDill air force, 2013) near the Gulf of Mexico. Because it is near the tropics and westerly winds blow off the African coasts along the equator, Florida is vulnerable to hurricanes. A hurricane is a type of tropical cyclone or severe tropical storm that forms in the southern Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and in the eastern Pacific Ocean. All Gulf of Mexico coastal areas are subject to hurricanes. Hurricanes can cause catastrophic damage to coastlines and several hundred miles inland; they can also produce winds exceeding 155 miles per hour as well as tornadoes and mircrobursts; additionally, hurricanes can create storm surges along the coast and cause extensive damage from heavy rainfall (Hurricanes, 2014). Floods and flying debris from the excessive winds are often the deadly and destructive results of these weather events (Hurricanes, 2014). This type of weather can cause severe damage to the million dollar aircraft, and personnel at MacDill AFB. Therefore, the current Hurrevac plan needs to be adjusted to ensure the aircraft and personnel are safe. Comment by Robert Ditch: Same as above Comment by Robert Ditch: Same as above Comment by Robert Ditch: Comment by Robert Ditch: Should be (DHS, n.d) Comment by Robert Ditch: Same as above
Statement of the Problem
The current evacuation plan for the 6th AMW has not ensured the safety of its aircraft and airmen during a hurricane. During several Hurrevac exercises, aircraft, resources, and personnel were not escorted to a safe haven in an organized manner. Several aircraft would have been left behind because the aircrew was not properly scheduled to deploy the aircraft to a secure location. Also, the aircraft that was left behind was neither secure nor protected during the exercise. The support equipment and supplies were left in the warehouse. It was not put on a pallet to relocate. Comment by Robert Ditch: You need a citation for these facts and I would caution you with the For Official Use Only level of this information. I will protect it, but it is not the kind of information that needs to be shared outside of Official U.S. Air Force Sources. Recommend you refer to an After Action Report for the citation. Comment by Robert Ditch: Comment by Robert Ditch: You need to have a citation for all this information. Recommend an After Action Report. Also, this is really considered For Official Use Only information and you should not be putting it in a college paper. Caution.
Safe Havens and Safe Houses were not identified correctly in the Air Force Personnel Accountability and Assessment System; therefore personnel were not properly accounted for. Mission essential personnel were told to proceed to their safe haven when they were needed for evacuation. Non mission essential personnel were not able to relocate to the safe haven. There was poor communication between agencies and personnel were not accounted for. The communication between groups, squadrons, flights, and sections was very poor. Personnel were not informed of the correct recall procedures. Some individuals were not recalled/notified of the evacuation. Command Post did not stand up UCC’s in a timely manner. The failures mentioned above will result in damaged aircraft & equipment, and missing personnel. If a better plan is not developed, the Air Force will lose millions dollars in repairs and undue damage. Comment by Robert Ditch: These probably should be included in your Operational Definitions Comment by Robert Ditch: Spell out all acronyms
Operational Definitions
AFPASS Air Force Personnel Accountability and Assessment System (AFPAAS) standardizes a method for the Air Force to account, assess, manage, and monitor the recovery and reconstitution process for personnel and their families affected and/or scattered by a wide-spread catastrophic event. AFPAAS provides valuable information to all levels of the Air Force chain of command, allowing commanders to make strategic decisions which facilitate a return to stability ((afpaas) air force personnel,). Comment by Robert Ditch: Should be (U.S. Air Force, n.d.)
FEMA Federal Agency Emergency Management Agency FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from and mitigate all hazards("About the agency ," 2014). Comment by Robert Ditch: This should be (FEMA, n.d.)
HURREVAC Hurricane Evacuation HURREVAC is the decision support tool of the National Hurricane Program, administered by FEMA, the USACE, and the NOAA National Hurricane Center (Hurrevac,). Comment by Robert Ditch: Spell out acronyms
UCC Unit Control Center UCCs provide mission support to the IC through the EOC (when activated) and to the installation commander as directed by the CAT. UCCs are responsible for coordinating activities for incident response. UCCs are responsible for personnel accountability, emergency notification, accomplishing unit-level preparation and recovery actions (HQ AFCESA/CEXR, 2009). Comment by Robert Ditch: Change to Unit Control Center (UCC) Comment by Robert Ditch: delete Comment by Robert Ditch: Spell out acronym Comment by Robert Ditch: Spell out acronym Comment by Robert Ditch: Comment by Robert Ditch: Spell out acronym Comment by Robert Ditch: Recommend you spell out command and not use office symbols. This should be (Air Force Civil Engineering Support Agency, 2009)
Significance of the Study
After reviewing other military and Air Force’s evacuation plans, The 6th AMW will be able to save money, secure million dollar aircraft, and ensure safety of assigned personnel when the current plan is modified. However all groups, squadrons, flights, and sections will have to foster the teamwork concept and work together. Communication will need to approve and rules will have to be re-addressed. The Chain of Command will have to be reestablished and all stakeholders will need to be identified and made aware of their positions in this process. The Wing and Group commanders will meet with FEMA representatives to ensure that the plan will support or not interrupt community evacuations during the time of a hurricane. The commanders will identify personnel in their units to run the Unit Control Centers (and other identified centers) to ensure every person receive the same information and respond accordingly. Also, a Hurrevac exercise will occur every other month to ensure the 6th AMW is prepared.
Summary
Hurricane Katrina (Keesler AFB, MS) is a lesson that bases in a hurricane zones should learn from. The Air Force leadership and community of Biloxi, MS were not prepared for the level of damage the happened that day. There is a need to readdress the evacuation plan for MacDill AFB, FL. Now that the Air Force is downsizing (doing move with less), it’s necessary to change the way Hurrevac operations use to happen. Communication and procedures need to change to prevent duplication of work and prevent loss of aircraft, equipment, and lives. Adjusting to change is not easy, and everyone is not going to support the new process. But the needs of the Air Force come first, and the Air Force wants to save money, resources, and people. The adjustment plan will create a more efficient evacuation plan that will ensure aircraft will deploy in a timely manner; while reducing the response time of alerting members to safety.
REFERENCES Comment by Robert Ditch: Please put in alphabetical order and APA style where highlighted
Macdill Air Force Base Airmen, Mission, Community. (2013, May). Retrieved from Comment by Robert Ditch: incorrect
http://www.macdill.af.mil/index.asp
Hurricanes in Florida. (n.d.). Retrieved from Comment by Robert Ditch: Incorrect
http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/lessons/hurricane/hurricane.htm
Hurricanes. (2014, May 27). Retrieved from Comment by Robert Ditch: incorrect
http://www.ready.gov/hurricanes
(AFPAAS) Air Force Personnel Accountability and Assessment System . (n.d.). Retrieved from Comment by Robert Ditch: Incorrect
https://afpaas.af.mil/cas/login?service=https://afpaas.af.mil/
About the Agency. (2014, August 14). Retrieved from Comment by Robert Ditch: Incorrect
http://www.fema.gov/about-fema
Hurrevac. (n.d.). Retrieved from
HQ AFCESA/CEXR. (2009, December 01). Air force incident management guidance for major accidents and natural disasters. Retrieved from Comment by Robert Ditch: Incorrect
http://fas.org/irp/doddir/usaf/afman10-2504.pdf
