Photo By Chief Petty Officer Brannon Deugan | U.S. Air Force Col. Earl Nast, left, and U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Erano Bumanglag...... read more read more
The ceremony featured openings remarks from JTF-CS Deputy to the Commander, Michael Collins and remarks from the guest speaker, Rear Adm. Jeffrey Novak, military advisor to the secretary of Homeland Security, followed by a traditional military cake cutting.
“The creation of JTF-CS in 1999 was driven by a simple but powerful idea, to make sure our nation is always prepared to respond to chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear incidents,” said Novak. “The initial mission is straight forward and simple. Respond rapidly and effectively to CBRN incidents, to mitigate the effects and protect the lives and property of Americans.”
Since their establishment in October 1999, JTF-CS plans and prepares to respond to catastrophic incidents as directed. Deployment of JTF-CS, at the direction of the Commander of U.S. Northern Command and the authority of the Secretary of Defense, would occur only after a state governor requests federal assistance from the President and the President issues a Presidential Disaster Declaration.
“Not many people know how JTF-CS came to be, only that we are in existence; a one-of-a-kind organization to support the people of the United States through the lead federal agency on potentially America’s worse day,” said Collins. “But a great deal has happened since we stood up in 1999.”
Collins highlighted key events in the command’s history including the events of September 11, 2001, support of Canada during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan which the command provided subject matter experts, and Super Storm Sandy in New York and New Jersey in 2012. He further explained the two years support the command provided during COVID operations with an all-hazards Defense Support of Civil Authorities mission across the United States. During that time, JTF-CS set up hospitals, provided medical personnel and assisted vaccination clinics across multiple states.
“In the past quarter century JTF-CS has played a pivotal role in safeguarding the homeland, providing an unmatched capability to respond to natural disasters, manmade threats, national emergencies’ said Novak. Today we gather to not only reflect on many successes, but also to look ahead towards the future.
Located in Mullan Hall on Joint Base Langley Eustis, JTF-CS comprises of Active Duty, Reserve, National Guard, and civilian members from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines. On directive, JTF-CS mobilizes within 24 hours of notification, providing mission command to Department of Defense forces. Their mission is to support civil authorities, save lives, mitigate human suffering, and prevent further injury.
Looking towards the future,” continued Novak. “JTF-CS will play an even more critical role in our national security framework, especially if as we continue to deepen integration with the department of homeland and its components. As Homeland Security and Homeland Defense evolve, so do the threats we face.”
| Date Taken: | 10.01.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 10.01.2024 15:49 |
| Story ID: | 482254 |
| Location: | FORT EUSTIS, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 31 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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