Emergency Services Officer

[etodd]

So ... the Squadron Commander is hinting very strongly that he wants me to start working on ESO and assigned me as an assistant to a current ESO.  I'm not even sure what an ESO is and/or does and the current one kinda talks like its 'in name only'. (We are both MPs.)

So I started looking at CAPP 213, whose current edition appears to be Feb 1998 and of course its crazy out of date, so I guess some of the things on the checklist can just be ignored.

It mentions CAPF 116, Parts 1 and 2.  But its just one online course I already passed a year or so ago and must have been combined since I don't see a Part 2 anywhere(?)

I'm suppose to complete ECI Course 02130D, which of course is no more, and hasn't been replaced. Scratch that.

"Review the unit training library" ---- We do not have one.

I've participated in muliple missions with various ES Specialties, so thats already covered.

So it looks like if I just cover the items relating to Alerting Systems and training plans, I'll have it covered, and after a year of sitting around waiting would be Technician, whatever that means.

So anyway ... on an actual Mission ... if I wasn't flying ... what would a ESO do?

[Eclipse]

CAPR 20-1 is a better guide regarding staff positions then a specialty track pamphlet. 

Your job as an ESO isn't to complete the rating, and it doesn't have a role "during missions" - ESOs
manage the training exercises, administration, and related activities to getting members in the squadron trained
in ES qualifications.

Your mentor in the unit should be who(m?)ever is the primary in the role, and / or the next higher headquarters.

ES no longer has any tabs during an SUI, but it needs to be creating and managing an annual training plan,
on-board new members, both senior and cadet who want to be involved in ES, and while certainly not holding all the ratings,
should be an SME in the process of qualification, as well as have a strong working knowledge of what all the various ES quals are, do,
and how they fit into the broader framework.

In a unit that doesn't have a separate Training officer, the ESO generally fills that role as well.

CAPR 20-1 Page 29(+)
"Emergency Services (ES) Officer
Manages and directs emergency services activities. They shall:
Develop agreements with agencies responsible for search, domestic emergencies, and civil defense.
Develop and maintain an adequate emergency service force.
Develop training programs to ensure that highly qualified ES personnel are available for search and rescue, and disaster relief
missions.
Develop plans and standard operating procedures to support the wing's emergency services program.
Maintain records to determine the status of resources (personnel, vehicles aircraft, radios and other emergency equipment)
available for ES missions.
Develop and maintain a rapid alerting system for assembling necessary resources in a timely manner.
The emergency services officer should be familiar with CAPP 2 and CAPP 213; CAP directives in the 60, 62, 66, 77 and 100 series;
applicable federal, state and local MOUs, and applicable FEMA publications.

Emergency Services Training Officer
Assists the ES Officer in managing and directing ES training activities. They shall:
Document ES training accomplished and qualifications earned.
Coordinate with the SAR and DR officers to ensure that training programs are adequate.
Coordinate with external agencies for other ES training.
Prepare and process CAPFs 101 for new or requalifying personnel.

The ES training officer should be familiar with CAPP 213, and applicable FEMA publications."

[Eclipse]

In regards to completion of ESO, it's one of the more difficult ratings to achieve Master in because
Master requires 3-year service at the wing or higher, not something you can generally fudge or
Parker 51, because of it's visibility and criticality to the Wing's operational readiness.

You're not just "waiting around to be a technician" - it's an active job that should have a role at nearly every meeting,
input into annual plans that meet unit, Group, and Wing goals, serve as the point man for any
ES activity unit members participate in (sometimes on the approval level), and generally hand-hold a huge part
of the unit's ability in one of the three missions.

This kind of thing is why many of us make such a "big deal" about "full participation" in CAP and not
treating it as a menu.  If you've been able to get rated as a mission pilot, but don't even know what a "technician is",
that's a serious problem, and you certainly shouldn't be accepting a key role at your squadron before you even know
what the responsibilities are.

[etodd]

.... getting members in the squadron trained in ES qualifications.


Develop training programs to ensure that highly qualified ES personnel are available for search and rescue, and disaster relief
missions.

Thanks for the reply.  Already working with some on that. As a AP, MS and MO Skills Evaluator.

[etodd]

..... you certainly shouldn't be accepting a key role at your squadron before you even know
what the responsibilities are.

Exactly.  Hence my asking.  As a MS, MO, AP and MP ... and also working on a few things with the Cadets, and acting as webmaster, etc. .... I may be spreading myself thin.

[Spaceman3750]

ESO is essentially the ES program manager. In fact, I usually introduce myself as such to those outside CAP - "I'm the emergency services program manager for central X state."

[etodd]

ESO is essentially the ES program manager. In fact, I usually introduce myself as such to those outside CAP - "I'm the emergency services program manager for central X state."

Thanks everyone for the replies. I now know that my plate is already too full with the other duties and specialties I mentioned, to consider being a full ESO.  Maybe helping out as an Assistant as needed. We'll see.

[Shieldel]

One thing to keep in mind is you are basically your squadron's contact for ES. In an actual mission unless you are in the ICS Position/Job issuing the orders you have no say in "your squadron's equipment or personnel" - as an aside relating to "my aircraft, or my people", aircraft are wing assets. If an A/C is "double booked" for o-rides and an AFAM - the AFAM takes precedence, aircraft belong to no squadron for no other purposes other than maintenance, it's on that unit to maintain the aircraft.  If another squadron needs it, other than if it's grounded or if the aircraft is down for maintenance, the answer should be we can do that for you. And if "your people" are on an AFAM, they so to speak are not "your people" they are the on duty IC's people.

NVWG recently had an issue to where a squadron CC released the aircraft to come home while the aircraft was on mission. Which is where I'm coming from, anything signed into a mission is technically speaking, not really your's for the moment.

Also I'm a new ESO myself, learning the ropes but my dad is Wing Staff now, former squadron ESO, dad's the NVWG CD Officer, I have a great resource to lean on for ESO support.

[Fubar]

NVWG recently had an issue to where a squadron CC released the aircraft to come home while the aircraft was on mission. Which is where I'm coming from, anything signed into a mission is technically speaking, not really your's for the moment.

Same thing happens with Corporate Owned Vehicles (COV). Squadron commander will call up one of his members that's at a mission and say bring the van home, we need it for the color guard. All of a sudden, the logistics guy can't find a van that supposed to be in the parking lot.