Declining Use of Ground Teams

[LTC Don]

It has always been a mystery to me as to why it's never been done, especially given all the effort with the overhaul to the SQTR system some 15 years ago -- but it would seem to be prudent to:

1. Modify the Ground Team curriculum such that any modules not included to match up with the SARTECH III be added to the GTM 3, and so on, such that the Ground Team qualifications maintain the aviation-based SAR competencies, but have the missing person SAR added in as well. If we do the job right, any of our members, upon completing the requisite training, should be able to take the cert course for SARTECH II or I, and pass it.

2. Since CAP is in fact, and truly a 'National Organization' (and honestly, the only national SAR organization out there) and a genuine partner with AFRCC, that some type of legitimate, and published endorsement be made by some standards body to the effect that with #1 above implemented, that CAP Ground Team training in fact, exceeds NASAR standards, such that is we have personnel that reports in to a missing person search and the Planners ask how many SARTECHs we have, we can legitimately provide that answer even though we don't have NASAR patches sewn on.

But until someone sets down the various curriculums side by side (and as noted in CapTalk before, the National Park Service does not use NASAR, but has it's own certification program sandbox -- http://www.nps.gov/policy/DOrders/RM-59.pdf ), and makes the necessary adjustments, we are stuck in 'ad hoc' mode. 

[wacapgh]

https://www.doi.gov/sites/doi.gov/files/migrated/emergency/upload/DOI-Incident-Positions-Qualification-Guide.pdf

closer to our SQTR level documentation.

[Elihu.Lowery]

There are several issues that have to be addressed before you can integrate CAP resources (Ground Teams, Aircraft, etc...) into the efforts of another search organization.

1. CAPR 60-3 requires that all CAP assets must remain under the control of a CAP IC. So if you are integrating a Ground Team for example into the call out for the Mountain Rescue Team, how will that work.
2. In order to get Air Force insurance coverage, the NOC needs to be contacted and they will contact AFRCC to get the mission approved.
3. If AFAM approval is not requested, you still need to contact the NOC and have them approve the mission as a Corporate mission.

I know someone will jump on the thread and state that a MOU will solve all of these issues, however that is rarely the case. First of all, an MOU, are not that easy to get approved as they have to be approved not only by the legal team of the organization that you want to help but also by the Wing Legal Team, NHQ, and in most cases CAP/USAF and or AFRCC. Secondly MOU's are primarily used to define what services each party will provide and in CAP's case, how CAP's services will be paid for.

Your right Sir, I learned the hard way. The local Red Cross Director when I was still in the Mississippi unit came out and trained our Ground Team in First Aid/CPR, Disaster Assessment, & Shelter Management all for free since CAP has a MOU with them. When the State was gearing up for a Hurricane response the local Red Cross called our unit and requested assistance manning the shelters which we did without incident but there was a major problem. Both our unit and the local Red Cross Director had not notified CAP that we were utilized not until we submitted the mission paper work to the Wing.  Needless to say we got to spend lots of quality time with the Wing ES Director, Chief of Staff, and Wing Commander for the next month and never worked with the Red Cross again sadly.
The problem I have encountered with trying to work with the local EMS Director was that he was excited when I first notified him that we could perform SAR since he did not have a county SAR team however he lost interest once I told him that in order to use us he would have to request our assistance though the State EMS Office or call the NOC. He said that he never would call the State EMS unless it was a county wide disaster and changed his mind about the NOC once he learned that his Office would be responsible for any expenses. He decided he would just use his local VFD for any SAR needs.     

[Ed Bos]

The CAPAbilities Handbook has the notification and activation procedures in a handbook that you can give to emergency managers, partner NGO's (e.g., the Red Cross) and other folks that you may want to work with.

http://www.capmembers.com/media/cms/CAPabilities_Handbook_HighRes_046ADDF6591BC.pdf

Another tool in the tool box for ES Officers as they build relationships with community partners.

[Chappie]

I know that the county in which I reside not only has their own Sheriff's Office ground team for search and rescue but their own aerosquadron....so CAP is not even on their radar.  There was a joint training session about 20 years ago...we will leave that as is.  There have been no other training sessions since then...oh, well.   CAP does not have a mounted posse (at least not in our wing)...so there is no territorial issue (or budget item) there

[The Infamous Meerkat]

Our local Mountain Rescue team and county have really filled the needs on things that CAP could have done for them. Nowadays, we'd really have to stretch to consider ourselves "useful" to anyone. Our Wing has done such a bad job of managing our reputation and capabilities that we have to really market ourselves to the poorest of counties, just to have a mission at all.

[sarmed1]

It keeps coming up in conversation every time we have one on this theme, but I'll bring it up again.  Civil AIR Patrol.  Maybe we need to find ways to better emphasize that part of the mission when it comes to ground operations.  What I have started to stress with people is that maybe CAP needs to start looking at more of a Aviation Field Liaison Officer not an incident staff position... sort of a TACP for CAP (I know its going to have to be very tactikewl now)  Basically a qualified GTM that is trained and understands air asset use.  They can be attached to anyone's ground SAR unit, can work, function and support their tasking, but if they need tactical level air support, the CAP guy can talk to (commo specific and lingo specific) the air assets to enhance the teams field capability.  They are still doing the GSAR mission, they are just bringing the air mission along with them....

Otherwise I think DR is where CAP's mission focus needs to start to lean

MK

[Brit_in_CAP]

It keeps coming up in conversation every time we have one on this theme, but I'll bring it up again.  Civil AIR Patrol.  Maybe we need to find ways to better emphasize that part of the mission when it comes to ground operations.  What I have started to stress with people is that maybe CAP needs to start looking at more of a Aviation Field Liaison Officer not an incident staff position... sort of a TACP for CAP (I know its going to have to be very tactikewl now)  Basically a qualified GTM that is trained and understands air asset use.  They can be attached to anyone's ground SAR unit, can work, function and support their tasking, but if they need tactical level air support, the CAP guy can talk to (commo specific and lingo specific) the air assets to enhance the teams field capability.  They are still doing the GSAR mission, they are just bringing the air mission along with them....

Otherwise I think DR is where CAP's mission focus needs to start to lean

MK

Interesting assessment, and I basically agree.

My own wing still fields GT assets on a regular basis, and very effectively, but your assessment is accurate overall.

[LTC Don]

It keeps coming up in conversation every time we have one on this theme, but I'll bring it up again.  Civil AIR Patrol.  Maybe we need to find ways to better emphasize that part of the mission when it comes to ground operations.  What I have started to stress with people is that maybe CAP needs to start looking at more of a Aviation Field Liaison Officer not an incident staff position... sort of a TACP for CAP (I know its going to have to be very tactikewl now)  Basically a qualified GTM that is trained and understands air asset use.  They can be attached to anyone's ground SAR unit, can work, function and support their tasking, but if they need tactical level air support, the CAP guy can talk to (commo specific and lingo specific) the air assets to enhance the teams field capability.  They are still doing the GSAR mission, they are just bringing the air mission along with them....

Otherwise I think DR is where CAP's mission focus needs to start to lean

MK

Interesting assessment, and I basically agree.

My own wing still fields GT assets on a regular basis, and very effectively, but your assessment is accurate overall.

I get the notion to keep the aviation component out in front and totally support that.  However, the Federal mandate doesn't discriminate between air or ground.  Thus, we need to pursue any and all avenues to deploy assets as needed, wherever and whenever. I kind of like the TAC-P idea. The missing person search we had recently utilized a couple of helos with IR capabilities.  I don't know if any of the teams were talking to the helos directly though. The victim reported on at least one occasion a helo was directly over him, but never saw him, which belies the difficulty in locating an individual in moderate-heavy canopy.

A lot of this thread has danced around the pros and cons of NASAR and the SARTECH II certification.  Virginia is unique in that it has it's own state certification program, the Field Team Member and Field Team Leader certifications, and administered by VDEM.  The only drawback to CAP is the certifications are only issued to people 18 years of age and older. CAP cadets under 18 may take the training, and when they reach 18, can submit their documentation to receive their certification.  But until then, as I understand it, are not allowed to respond on actual missing person missions.

Even though what is needed is a national certification program that is modular and backed by a Federal agency, states developing their own state-level certifications have a lot more legitimacy than the program by NASAR. Much like the Federal DOT did with the Emergency Medical Technician program back in the 1970s and then adopted by the states.

[sarmed1]

There is no real National EMS certification.  NREMT certification means only that you met the  training and testing criteria of the agency (much like NASAR) It is still up to the states to regulate the actual certification and authority to practice at that level.  (state programs must meet the minimum guidelines, usually specifically to be eligible for DOT/HHS/DHS funding) Some states use NREMT testing or certification specifically as their testing/certification requirement but it is not a "blanket" certification allowing you to function in multiple states as an EMS provider.  Some states grans automatic reciprocity for NREMT some dont.  FL I had to actually take the NREMT test (yes the actual written test) again to obtain a FL paramedic certification, even though I was already an NREMT-P.  Why, because FL statute states you must take the state exam to become certified, they just happen to contract with NREMT to provide the exam rather than create their own.

The old draft FEMA typing and resource guide was the best thing going on at the time, and if it ever comes back would be greatly helpful.  If a state has its own standard, its up to CAP GTM's to meet that standard if they want to be utilized as an asset for those missions.  CAP units that cross borders on a regular basis should likewise look meeting that border states requirements.  There would likely be no national/federal certification that would regulate state requirements (those usually only go upwards, ie to participate in a federal mission you must meet  X, Y, Z criteria, rarely the other way around)

I wasnt saying CAP should abandon the GSAR mission as far as boots on the ground, beating the woods so to speak, only that in areas where it is not being utilized as that kind of asset it look to roles that are not available by other agencies and aviation support is one of the area where that may be (and in fact may open/ re-open the idea of utilizing them in a "strict" GTM role if the Liaison mission is well received)

MK

[ALORD]

Of the roughly 23,000 "Missions" I ran as a GTL, 22,900 were ELT's going off in hangers, trash cans, etc.  ( I guess I am dating myself, and exaggerating a tad too) Other "real" missions ( Including the Space Shuttle search)  never resulted in finding a living survivor. Not once. ( Although in the course of a few missions we ended up going off-mission to provide aid in some other manner) I let my NASAR membership lapse, since it appears that CAP is not particularly interested in doing SAR per se, and we are downright allergic to Emergency Medicine. I don't claim this as a bad thing ( Well, not finding anyone alive was definitely bad) So many members join with the idea that they will be able to "reform" CAP, especially in how it relates to ES, and Cadet Programs. In recruiting, you hate to shut down those Hams, Paramedics, NASAR people, K9 handlers, etc. With the knowledge that institutionally, this is just not CAP's way. I don't know how many SM's ( Not former Cadets) remember how and why they came into CAP, but it was in all cases I am sure, not exactly what they thought it would be. In my own case, my son ( A Spaatzen married to a Spaatzen)  joined, and my plan was to drive him to meetings, and  stay outside and catch up on Cellphone and Computer work. One day, some shiny faces in camo uniforms knocked on my car window until I rolled it down. What happened after that was blurry, but I believe it was a Chloroformed rag, because it seemed like 20 minutes later, I was sitting in front of a table while someone took my semi-conscious fingerprints, pushed in front of a filled out membership application and forced to sign at gunpoint, and having my clothes torn off and replaced with woodland Camo. Another half hour later I was a deputy commander for something, my wallet was empty, and I had been appointed Emergency Services Officer for the Squadron. ( Well, that's the way I remember it) Even though I was enthusiastic about "pushing" CAP into doing "real" SAR, my second Squadron Commander, Gordon Ziegler ( May he live forever in the halls of Valhalla, R.I.P.) just nodded his head and had me complete one task after another, until I had tons of Certificates and Merit badges, and learned what CAP was slowly and without killing my enthusiasm. I tell people that there are many great things CAP does ( Cadet Programs! Foxtrot Yankee!) but if they want to do SAR or EMS, there is no reason they can't cross-dress ( For you in the Navy, it does not mean what you think) to get their side order of ground-pounding.

A. Lord, MAJ

[Brit_in_CAP]

Virginia is unique in that it has it's own state certification program, the Field Team Member and Field Team Leader certifications, and administered by VDEM.  The only drawback to CAP is the certifications are only issued to people 18 years of age and older. CAP cadets under 18 may take the training, and when they reach 18, can submit their documentation to receive their certification.  But until then, as I understand it, are not allowed to respond on actual missing person missions.

Even though what is needed is a national certification program that is modular and backed by a Federal agency, states developing their own state-level certifications have a lot more legitimacy than the program by NASAR. Much like the Federal DOT did with the Emergency Medical Technician program back in the 1970s and then adopted by the states.

Colonel....I trimmed your post a little for quoting....

I'm not an expert here and I'll defer to anyone with more knowledge.

The Commonwealth of Virginia does have its own program and everything you wrote in that regard is correct, as far as I know, up to the age part.

Cadets from my squadron who are under the age of 18 have participated actively in missing person missions following CAP procedure etc.  Tasking comes through the proper routes and teams are assembled and released under CAP rules and procedures.

I won't pretend to know all of the intricacies of this by any means and I'm simply offering my own experiences.

[SARDOC]

I believe in North Carolina CAP has become a major player in points of distribution (PODS) even being written into many EOPs. Maybe someone from there can talk as to their success. As to ARC, I serve as a Disaster Program Manager and neither CAP nor ARC can figure out what to do together. This is something I am trying to work on in my area.

I'm glad you brought that up.  Yes, there is a push for Civil Air Patrol to become a more active participant in Points of Distributions and Shelter Management type work.   That being said we are still a relatively small organization to create that kind of presence across the Country.  The FEMA course curriculum development team was in discussions with CAP at the National Level to at least utilize Civil Air Patrol as a Training Partner in providing PODS and Shelter Management courses to other volunteer organizations and local governments who are ultimately responsible for those functions, but that we could develop those relationships to support them if the need came up.