Photo By Sgt. Maj. Daniel Griego | In this image released by Joint Task Force 71, guardsmen with the Joint Task Force 71...... read more read more
"What we are accomplishing here is not simply a merger of two legacy organizations," said Air Force Lt. Col. Thomas Suelzer, chief of staff for Joint Task Force 71. "We are creating a new brigade based on the best practices of both the 136 MEB and JTF-71, in order to provide Texas and FEMA Region VI with an agile and ready domestic operations response capability."
In October of 2011, the National Guard Bureau certified the Texas Military Forces' Joint Task Force 71 to conduct the Homeland Response Force mission in support of FEMA Region VI. The mission, part of the Department of Defense's Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and High-Yield Explosive Consequence Management Enterprise, tests the brigade's reaction time, response capabilities and interagency coordination in the event of an incident or natural disaster. Now, thanks to Texas' establishment of a Domestic Operations component within the National Guard, JTF-71 is merging with a neighboring brigade to better serve the region if disaster strikes.
"What has happened," said CW3 Joe Luna, human resources officer for the 136th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, "is the Domestic Operations commander has realigned the mission from the [joint task force] over to the maneuver enhancement brigade because it makes more sense for the maneuver enhancement brigade to take on that mission."
The plan is for JTF-71 and 136 MEB to join into a single brigade, better equipped to handle the needs and training requirements of the Homeland Response Force mission. This merger is happening in phases, with milestones including personnel integration, site relocation and the establishment of new leadership chains, leading up to the "ready phase" in January, wherein the new brigade prepares for the 2013 storm season as a single entity.
"It is the best thing that could have happened to this unit because it gives us a bigger pool of individuals to go from," said Army Capt. Ingrid Yauger, commander for HHC, JTF-71. "October will actually be the first drill with both units combined, so we'll be bringing everybody together, telling those folks from the 136 MEB who don't know yet what the HRF mission is all about."
The last two weeks of September mark a major transition period as the troops of JTF-71 move offices from the Bee Caves National Guard Armory in southwest Austin to the Round Rock Armed Forces Reserve Center. This new, $24.1 million installation will serve as the base of operations for the Homeland Response Force Mission.
"The advantage of moving into a MEB headquarters," said Suelzer, "is that it provides the right-sized structure for supporting the Homeland Response Force mission. Additionally, the subordinate units that are gained from the 136th MEB provide the breadth and depth of skill sets necessary to successfully execute and support CBRN Consequence Management."
"The biggest step," said Luna, "is getting the soldiers in the 136 Maneuver Enhancement Brigade trained up with all the certifications and qualifications that are required for this mission set."
These requirements include classroom and on-line training lessons on the Federal Emergency Management Agency, inter-agency communication and coordination, emergency, and the Department of Defense's CBRNE Consequence Management Enterprise.
"It's exciting," said Luna. "We're welcoming the new mission; it's a real-world mission. If an incident was to happen, like 9/11 or the Oklahoma City bombing, we would have to respond. We would have to deploy within a short amount of time and support jointly with civil authorities."
The end state, by merging the Joint Task Force 71 and the 136 Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, is that the citizens of Texas and all of FEMA Region VI will be better protected and more efficiency served by these skilled and capable guardsmen.
"This is just an amazing opportunity," said Yauger, "for us to branch out and be able to run more like we should."
| Date Taken: | 09.17.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 09.21.2012 14:01 |
| Story ID: | 95111 |
| Location: | ROUND ROCK, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 512 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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