EPLOs redefine part of Air Force mission

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TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFNS) --  When most Americans think of the Air Force, they envision slick, fast fighter jets soaring through the skies at Mach speed. A picture that doesn't normally come to mind is a military organization that helps local communities during hurricanes, wildfires, floods or other natural disasters.

Nor does the image of men and women in blue assisting during man-made emergencies such as an oil spill, chemical explosion or train derailment immediately come to mind.

Historically, that level of assistance has been offered primarily by local, state and federal agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency and non-governmental organizations like the Red Cross.

However, Air Force officials have been providing a growing presence during these emergencies through the emergency preparedness liaison officer program, which is part of the Defense Support to Civil Authorities mission under Continental U.S. NORAD Region - 1st Air Force (Air Forces Northern), headquartered at here at Tyndall.

Col. Michael Hare is the Air Force National Security Emergency Preparedness director who oversees the EPLO program for AFNORTH.

According to Colonel Hare, the average citizen's perception of the Air Force mission will continue to change in the future as he or she learns that, indeed, not every Air Force mission is focused only on the military air protection of the country from hostile outside forces. Rather, through the EPLO program, people will understand that the military is ready to assist during major, non-military emergencies and catastrophes.

"Our EPLOs are, in a sense, marriage counselors who work between military and civilian agencies to resolve capability gaps during emergencies," Colonel Hare said. "They are forward sensors who work in very demanding, very fluid situations to represent the full capacity of the Air Force."

The director said AFNORTH officials are very proud of the work accomplished by the 91-person EPLO cadre, at least one of whom is stationed in every U.S. state and beyond, including Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

Some states have more than one EPLO, depending on the potential for need. Florida, for instance, which can experience several hurricanes and floods per season, has three EPLOs, while Montana, with a sparse population and perhaps not quite as much potential for major natural disasters, has only one.

All EPLO positions are filled by Air Force reservists -- senior officers in the lieutenant colonel or colonel ranks. Often working with officers from the Army, Navy and Marines, Air Force EPLOs normally respond to requests for assistance from FEMA, which has 10 regional offices around the country.

EPLOs come from a wide variety of career backgrounds; they are pilots, doctors, nurses, judges, public affairs specialists, security forces professionals and much more. Their initial job as an EPLO is to become well acquainted with civilian emergency management personnel and operations in their respective locality, state, region and territory.

Always serving in a voluntary status unless directed by the secretary of defense to do otherwise following the declaration of an emergency by the president, EPLOs can sometimes find themselves assisting with a disaster, not only in their home state, but also in another state or region, depending on the severity and duration of the situation.

"We recently deployed six EPLOs to the floods in North Dakota, five of whom are not assigned to that state," Colonel Hare said. "The Air Force perspective is to think, train and prepare locally, but we act on a national stage. Our EPLOs are always willing to go where the need is greatest."

EPLOs are well-trained to assist communities before, during and after various kinds of emergencies, both weather-related and man-made, some of which can be predicted, while others cannot. The specific actions and responses required for a hurricane can vary significantly from those of a chemical explosion, for example.

EPLOs also are assigned to national special security events that offer the potential for terrorist activity and require extra security, such as a national political convention or a large, well-attended sports event, like the Super Bowl. These kinds of events are well known in advance and preparations can be very detailed and well-planned-out; however, an unforeseen threat is always possible in any situation.

"We plan for virtually any kind of scenario when it comes to defending and protecting our homeland," said Maj. Gen. Hank Morrow, CONR-1st AF commander. "During Super Bowl XLIII, for example, our priority was to ensure the air sovereignty and safety of the players and fans in the stadium. This included having our regional EPLOs poised and ready to respond in the event of a major contingency."

Usually military EPLOS are not called upon unless a state governor already has exercised two options: first, to ask for assistance from other states through an official Emergency Management Assistance compact, and second, to activate the state National Guard. 

"If both are called out, we get the EPLOs in position to monitor the situation," Colonel Hare said.

According to the director, EPLOs' priorities, whatever the situation, are to work hand-in-glove with civilian agencies and organizations to save lives, relieve suffering, provide humanitarian assistance and do whatever can be done to protect homes and other real property. Not only might they help prepare relief plans at a distance from the actual emergency or planned event, they often are on site, assisting directly with relief and rescue activities.

"They might be the ones lifting a litter to load a patient onto a plane or other immediate hands-on need," he said. "They do whatever they have to do to get the job done."

Despite some similarities, every emergency is different. 

"We always say, 'it depends,'" Colonel Hare said. "It depends on a wide variety of circumstances and the location of an incident or event."

He explained, for example, that the response to a flood in one state might be very different from that required in another.

"A person needing to be rescued from a rooftop during the winter, such as we recently saw in the Fargo (N.D.) flooding, would require a very quick response because of the freezing temperatures, while someone sitting on a rooftop in the summer, although hot and uncomfortable, would be able to safely wait a while longer," Colonel Hare said.

Likewise, the effect of a hurricane along coastal Texas or Louisiana would be far different from that experienced by a state or region further inland, he added. 

"When called out, the EPLO team at each location finds the best solution," said Colonel Hare, adding that EPLOs, to be most effective, are trained to function in specific ways for a wide variety of emergencies.

Politics, personalities and state laws also play a role in how emergency response efforts are handled. For instance, in some states, the governor has the authority to order evacuations, while in others, the order might come from a county official, such as a judge.

Overall, the EPLO mission is a growing and important one for the Air Force, Colonel Hare concluded. "Our EPLOs are a great group of individuals who give everything they've got to the mission. They are wonderful servants of the American people."

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