Ideas for an upcoming Multi-Unit SAREX

Started by Cadet Aviator, July 22, 2017, 08:42:33 PM

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Cadet Aviator

Good Afternoon Everyone,

So I am planning on doing several SAREXs this fall and I am writing this specifically for two exercises we will be conducting in both September and October of this year. I had several ideas in mind. Firstly, I will be using private property with owner permission (owner is a family friend of someone in the squadron and offers adequate back country space) for both exercises. I will be also utilizing several squadrons so I should have around thirty participants in total. My first idea, (youll probably giggle at this), but to do a HUGE nerf war scenario based on the Vietnam War. So basically participants would bring friends (it would act as recruitment as well) and I would use the prospects as the (Viet Cong) team with myself or another experienced ESO leading them. Then have all of the CAP members be on the USA team with a full mission base, guard shifts, etc... They would then be given inteligence on enemy movements, downed aircraft (they would have to locate and rescue survivors from VC), Search and Destroy missions, etc... This would allow them to work on a bunch of GTM stuff such as clue finding (for survivors, VC, booby traps), medical care for injured comrades and or survivors and finally map reading.

My second idea for October is to have a missing person search for a group of hikers that has set off and EPIRB and it is unknown if they are actually in distress or not. I also wanted to throw in that it was an animal attack or some sort of something going wrong such as a *tree falling* or something lock that. The teams then have to find the multiple subjects, treat them, and then evacuate them.

What do you all think?

Cadet Captain Joseph P. Mannion
Cadet Emergency Services, Public Affairs, Communications Officer
NER-PA-045 Harrisburg International Airport Composite Squadron
GTL, GTM1, MS, UDF, MRO, MSA

Eclipse

Nerf is not ES, CAP is a benevolent, non-combatant service, and you can't "bring friends" to
ES activities.

You need significant senior member guidance and assistance for a SAREx.

"That Others May Zoom"

Capt Thompson

As Eclipse said, a nerf war might be something you plan outside of CAP, but has nothing to do with CAP and definitely wouldn't be conducted at a SAREX. Friends aren't invited to a SAREX, it's not a recruitment tool, it's a Search And Rescue Exercise to train ES personnel to do their jobs.

For the second part, CAP doesn't "treat" anyone so I'm not sure what you mean by that. We Search for missing persons, but any medical attention is provided by trained professionals, not a group of Cadets with a first aid kit who think they are medics.

Speak with your Squadron ESO about these "plans." If you don't have an ESO talk with your Squadron CC or the Group/Wing ESO for guidance.
Capt Matt Thompson
Deputy Commander for Cadets, Historian, Public Affairs Officer

Mitchell - 31 OCT 98 (#44670) Earhart - 1 OCT 00 (#11401)

Cadet Aviator

Okay, I understand how Nerf would not fit in. What I mean by treat is that they should do what they can such as control bleeding, splint bones, etc. Any other suggestions? I was thinking about using a practice becon as the supposed epirb

Cadet Captain Joseph P. Mannion
Cadet Emergency Services, Public Affairs, Communications Officer
NER-PA-045 Harrisburg International Airport Composite Squadron
GTL, GTM1, MS, UDF, MRO, MSA

Spam


I think you need to go take the good advice they gave you and go work with a well qualified senior member ES officer and/or your Group/Wing DOS.


Your event should be to train your people to standards - the approved NHQ/ES standards - by employing individual training/signoffs and collective (team) training of well established tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs).


Don't try to guess this and invent stuff on the fly, or make up imagined scenarios on the basis of your limited experience (i.e. why would hikers be using a marine - a boat - beacon?!?). Stick with training people to those standards and practicing your Wing's plans. If your Wing routinely plans for and executes missing person SAR, do it by the numbers - don't pretend that you are in any way qualified to do that mission (GTL/GTM1 or not). If you haven't planned on submitting a written OPORD to a qualified IC a month or two ahead of your date to secure an AFAM number/authorization, then you need to get on that, and your IC will want to give you significant further direction/mentoring.


Good luck - channel that enthusiasm into disciplined planning to standards.
Spam



Cadet Aviator

Gentlemen,

Again thank you for the help. I have been trying to fill in our ESO gap head on (we are currently missing an ESO and have no one qualified to fill in for it as of yet) as the Cadet ESO. I understand you saying that I should not come up with an operation on the "fly" and that is not what I intend to do. As with the number of smaller SAREXs I have planned (I have planned a number of unit level SAREXs on a small scale) I want to make sure things are thoroughly planned out such as who will be there, that we are in compliance with regs, etc. My idea of using the nerf war was not to have an actual mission but more of a fun, squadron activity, without a mission number to try and increase recruitment as we are in a bit of a "drought" when it comes to the numbers of personnel that we have. I definitely agree that the nerf idea shouldnt be used for an official SAREX and I think I will stick with the missing hiker scenario with a PLB (not EPIRB ha-ha I always call it that....).

Cadet Captain Joseph P. Mannion
Cadet Emergency Services, Public Affairs, Communications Officer
NER-PA-045 Harrisburg International Airport Composite Squadron
GTL, GTM1, MS, UDF, MRO, MSA

Spam

Without a mission number and an IC, you're not really having a SAREX... (a numbered AFAM). Your use of that term was probably prompting some of our comments back to you.

Suggest that you just call it an FTX (field training exercise). There's nothing at all wrong with having a unit training day (day only or overnight) without an Incident Commander and USAF mission number, but just be advised that (a) you can't claim training mission credit for it, (b) don't do it without your unit commanders insight and approval, and (c) ensure that you've followed regulatory requirements for senior member escorts and CAPR 52-16 provisions for safety planning and reporting if your training plan includes activities (like rappelling) which are high adventure activities (HAA) requiring Wing/CC review and approval. As you increase the scope/intensity of your training, the program requirements for oversight and approval increase as well... start with baby steps, keep your commander in the loop, and train safely to standards.

Again, best of luck. I've done similar things mixing ES training with fun... e.g. having my team sign out of the mission and go to the pool or beach before going home, per the pre-mission parental brief (which is now encompassed in the Form 32 required for your events). And no, we did not surf in VC pajamas... because "Charlie don't surf".


Couple of other thoughts:
1. Is missing hiker SAR a frequent thing in your AO, or are you just fishing for a scenario? My advice: make it realistic to what your Wing is doing, otherwise you're just play acting and wasting time.


2. On your DOS gap (DO is ops officer mail code, DOS is code for the ES officer). That position for senior members is really for a training MANAGER, not necessarily for an officer fully qualified in any/all specialties. If your unit has someone who is good with paperwork/planning and records keeping, and if they're motivated, that might be the right guy/girl for the job - go discuss with your commander. And you, cadet, have just the right attitude to serve as his/her cadet ES officer (ask your CO to appoint you in eServices, duty assignment module). Staff service including under studying a position like this is required for your Phase IV completion. So, if you don't get somebody in the job at your unit, start looking at Group or Wing level, asap, for mentoring to help "grow the business" in your unit.  We'd love to help you here on CT, but we're just voices on the other side of a screen - you need local help.


V/r
Spam



Cadet Aviator

Spam,

The hiker scenario is quite common in our area, even with PLBs as we just had a call out on the Appalachian trail in Pennsylvania, near Carlisle for a PLB non distress. Secondly, we have had several unit trainings so far I'm the past year with no mission number and unit commander approval.

Cadet Captain Joseph P. Mannion
Cadet Emergency Services, Public Affairs, Communications Officer
NER-PA-045 Harrisburg International Airport Composite Squadron
GTL, GTM1, MS, UDF, MRO, MSA

CAP9907

Quote from: Cadet Aviator on July 22, 2017, 08:42:33 PM
Good Afternoon Everyone,



What do you all think?

As with what others have said about the... usefulness... of a nerf war scenario; I seriously think you need to slow down just a bit here and get a SM as a Mentor. You're less than 4 weeks from when you got GTL and now you're into mission planning. Don't take this the wrong way, but I'm not so confident that you have a good grasp of the CAP regulations regarding liability insurance, Safety ORM, finance, etc that go into planning a proper SAREX. Not to mention the 1:3 ratio of trainers/trainees...
Also, how experienced are YOU and your other "ESO's" (not an Ops Qual BTW) that you plan to bring along, and how experienced are the trainees? You're talking about an animal attack and falling trees, but can you and your team conduct a simple line search? How about pace count or conduct actions if lost? Maybe try to start out low and slow and then work towards the VC or zombie attack or whatever scenario you may have.
YMMV
21 yrs of service

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Eclipse

#9
I would like to think that a PLB in the Appalachians is going to be primarily an air search with professional
SAR teams brought in once a pretty firm idea of where the device is sitting has been determined, assuming the
PLB doesn't broadcast exact position.

That's no place for inexperienced people to be messing around, doubly so if it's really someone lost or injured
on the trail.

To CAP604's points, real proficiency is muscle-memory practice on the skills needed for actual CAP activities,
not overly-extending people into areas CAP doesn't even play just because you got some boxes checked on a SQTR.

There are very few "proficient" Ground Teams in CAP, because either they don't practice, or they don't practice as a team.
CAP has anecdotal successes, but in most cases ad hoc resources show up on game day, meet each other for the first time and
then do the best they can in that situation.

Considering your lack of Senior-Member involvement, your best bet would be scheduling training which builds teams within
your unit while trying to bring in more adults to be involved directly.

"That Others May Zoom"

Storm Chaser

Quote from: Cadet Aviator on July 23, 2017, 02:17:35 PM
Secondly, we have had several unit trainings so far I'm the past year with no mission number and unit commander approval.

While you don't need a mission number to conduct ES training, conducting a field training exercise without one opens the unit to all sorts of liabilities. A non-funded Air Force assigned mission number provides CAP members with FTCA and FECA coverage, which you won't have without one. In addition, CAP does not self-deploy, so conducting an exercise without some type of ICS structure (as a minimum having a qualified IC), removes a valuable training component from the exercise.

I appreciate your enthusiasm and dedication, but I'm not sure you understand all the intricacies of conducting an exercise. Since you don't have a unit ES Officer, ask your Commander or Deputy Commander to reach out to the Group ES Officer or Wing Director of ES/Director of Operations for guidance and assistance. You shouldn't be working in a vacuum, but with guidance from a qualified senior member. That's the best way for you to learn and gain experience. Good luck!

RMW14

I guess it is time for me to step in and re affirm the information that has already been provided to the Cadet for the past 6 months or so.

For fiscal year 2018 we have planned and requested funds for a Fall Ground Only SAREX and Spring Ground Only SAREX as well as a late Spring combined Air/Ground SAREX. In addition to those SAREX's, we have planned for 5 Aircrew training weekends for new and recurrent trainings of Mission Scanner/Observers and Airborne Photographer. We have used this plan for the past few years and it has been successful in not only training Ground Teams but also the aircrews. Our exercises are always open to other groups/squadrons across the Wing as well as coordination/cooperation with a few local SAR Teams.

The process for our Wing to request an unfunded Training mission number is easy to do with an IC, MSO and a training plan. It's as easy as going to our Wing webpage, entering the Virtual EOC and completing the online Forms/Training Plan. The Form/Plan is then put under review by our Wing Director of Emergency Services and Wing Director of Operations to see if the Training Schedule meets the requirements to receive an individual training mission number or to be included into the Monthly Mission number.

Individual Unit Trainings are encouraged and even supported by Group 2 but we follow the same requirements as everyone else in PA Wing and most likely CAP as whole as to what is expected training.

Again, these points have been conveyed to the Cadet on multiple occasions, at multiple levels (including the Wing DO/Wing CC level).

On a side note, the non-distress PLB was on the Appalachian Trail in the area he described. CAP was requested by PEMA (who was delegating authority to us instead of the local police/fire) We attempted to launch an aircraft but is was late in the day on 3JUL and aircrews were busy with holiday functions. The person was located by a combined ground team from a few Group 2 squadrons. I am not positive if the person was located via ELPer usage or just a hasty search of the trail near the coordinates.  We do get missing person searches but not on a regular basis due to the proximity of fire/civilian search teams.
Ryan Weir Capt
Emergency Services Officer Jesse Jones Composite Squadron 304
Expert Ranger #274
NASAR SARTECH 1 Lead Evaluator/ WEMT
CD PAWG Central
AOBD,GBD,GTL, GTM1, UDF, MO, MS, MRO, AP

sardak

The team DF'd the signal to its source.

Mike