Air Forces Northern National Security Emergency Preparedness Directorate
Encyclopedia
The Air Forces Northern National Security Emergency Preparedness Directorate (AFNSEP or NSEP), of the First Air Force
(1AF or AFNORTH) operates out of its Northern Headquarters at Tyndall Air Force Base
, Florida
, effective 1 January 2008.
NSEP facilitates and coordinates USAF Defense Support to Civil Authorities (DSCA) for natural and man-made disasters and or emergencies. The Directorate advises and consults with Office of the Secretary of Defense
, Unified Combatant Command
, Joint Staff Director of Military Support (JDOMS), and all levels of civil and military authorities on DSCA issues. Provides Air Force with specific leadership for critical situational awareness between the commands and the field.
directed conducts Homeland Defense
and Civil Support operations to defend, protect, and secure the United States and its interests.
For 2011, AFNORTH and AFNSEP focus is on air sovereignty alert mission and Operation Noble Eagle
, the command's response to the attacks, which aim to protect the country from another aerial attack.
, 1 October 2006. The first commander of AF Northern HQ was Maj. Gen. Henry C. Morrow, AFNORTH Commander, until November, 2009.
hundreds of acres of Southern California, AFNSEP/AFNORTH sent an Air Component Coordination Element, or ACCE, to the region to support firefighting operations. AFNSEP's eight-person ACCE team coordinated all Air Force, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve units helping with firefighting efforts. AFNSEP also dispatched six C-130 Hercules
aircraft which dumped over 3,000 gallons of fire retardant on blazes, to help with the firefighting effort. (Reported by Maj. Gen. Hank Morrow, AFNORTH Cmdr.)
and new needs arising out of US homeland
disaster and emergency
response operations dictated this re-alignment. This will result in a contiguous command, control and support from Air Forces forces to needed civilian
authorities during times of national emergencies and disasters.
The AFNSEP program was originally developed due to President Ronald Reagan
's 1988 Executive Order 12656. There was a need to expand the military's role beyond military defense to responding to national emergencies and supporting civilian needs in natural disasters.
Since their formation, AFNSEP has supported more than 125 major disasters, including the 1989 Exxon Valdez Oil Spill
, several California
wildfires, the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster
, several hurricanes to include Andrew and Katrina, and typhoon relief across America
and the Pacific region.
when homeland support is requested.
astronauts and recovery of or crisis response of the Space Shuttle
.
First Air Force
The First Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida....
(1AF or AFNORTH) operates out of its Northern Headquarters at Tyndall Air Force Base
Tyndall Air Force Base
Tyndall Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base located east of Panama City, Florida. The base was named in honor of World War I pilot 1st Lt Frank Benjamin Tyndall...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, effective 1 January 2008.
NSEP facilitates and coordinates USAF Defense Support to Civil Authorities (DSCA) for natural and man-made disasters and or emergencies. The Directorate advises and consults with Office of the Secretary of Defense
Office of the Secretary of Defense
The Office of the Secretary of Defense is a headquarters-level staff of the Department of Defense of the United States of America. It is the principal civilian staff element of the Secretary of Defense, and it assists the Secretary in carrying out authority, direction and control of the Department...
, Unified Combatant Command
Unified Combatant Command
A Unified Combatant Command is a United States Department of Defense command that is composed of forces from at least two Military Departments and has a broad and continuing mission. These commands are established to provide effective command and control of U.S. military forces, regardless of...
, Joint Staff Director of Military Support (JDOMS), and all levels of civil and military authorities on DSCA issues. Provides Air Force with specific leadership for critical situational awareness between the commands and the field.
Mission
AFNSEP in close collaboration with interagency and allied partners, anticipates and whendirected conducts Homeland Defense
Homeland defense
Homeland defense is the protection of U.S. territory, sovereignty, domestic population, and critical infrastructure against external threats and aggression....
and Civil Support operations to defend, protect, and secure the United States and its interests.
For 2011, AFNORTH and AFNSEP focus is on air sovereignty alert mission and Operation Noble Eagle
Operation Noble Eagle
Operation Noble Eagle is the name given to military operations related to homelandsecurity and support to federal, state, and local agencies...
, the command's response to the attacks, which aim to protect the country from another aerial attack.
History
AFNSEP was originally began as Air Force National Security Emergency Preparedness Agency, but changed its name when it was deactivated as an Air Staff Field Operating Agency to Air Forces Northern National Security Emergency Preparedness Directorate. This realignment occurred under the United States Northern CommandUnited States Northern Command
United States Northern Command is a Unified Combatant Command of the United States military. Created on 1 October 2002 in the aftermath of the 11 September 2001 attacks, its mission is to protect the United States homeland and support local, state, and federal authorities...
, 1 October 2006. The first commander of AF Northern HQ was Maj. Gen. Henry C. Morrow, AFNORTH Commander, until November, 2009.
2007 California fires
While USAF local airmen were helping in the battle of deadly blazes consuminghundreds of acres of Southern California, AFNSEP/AFNORTH sent an Air Component Coordination Element, or ACCE, to the region to support firefighting operations. AFNSEP's eight-person ACCE team coordinated all Air Force, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve units helping with firefighting efforts. AFNSEP also dispatched six C-130 Hercules
C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport...
aircraft which dumped over 3,000 gallons of fire retardant on blazes, to help with the firefighting effort. (Reported by Maj. Gen. Hank Morrow, AFNORTH Cmdr.)
Background
The lessons learned from Hurricane KatrinaHurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
and new needs arising out of US homeland
Homeland
A homeland is the concept of the place to which an ethnic group holds a long history and a deep cultural association with —the country in which a particular national identity began. As a common noun, it simply connotes the country of one's origin...
disaster and emergency
Emergency
An emergency is a situation that poses an immediate risk to health, life, property or environment. Most emergencies require urgent intervention to prevent a worsening of the situation, although in some situations, mitigation may not be possible and agencies may only be able to offer palliative...
response operations dictated this re-alignment. This will result in a contiguous command, control and support from Air Forces forces to needed civilian
Civilian
A civilian under international humanitarian law is a person who is not a member of his or her country's armed forces or other militia. Civilians are distinct from combatants. They are afforded a degree of legal protection from the effects of war and military occupation...
authorities during times of national emergencies and disasters.
The AFNSEP program was originally developed due to President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
's 1988 Executive Order 12656. There was a need to expand the military's role beyond military defense to responding to national emergencies and supporting civilian needs in natural disasters.
Since their formation, AFNSEP has supported more than 125 major disasters, including the 1989 Exxon Valdez Oil Spill
Exxon Valdez oil spill
The Exxon Valdez oil spill occurred in Prince William Sound, Alaska, on March 24, 1989, when the Exxon Valdez, an oil tanker bound for Long Beach, California, struck Prince William Sound's Bligh Reef and spilled of crude oil. It is considered to be one of the most devastating human-caused...
, several California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
wildfires, the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster
Space Shuttle Columbia disaster
The Space Shuttle Columbia disaster occurred on February 1, 2003, when shortly before it was scheduled to conclude its 28th mission, STS-107, the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated over Texas and Louisiana during re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere, resulting in the death of all seven crew members...
, several hurricanes to include Andrew and Katrina, and typhoon relief across America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the Pacific region.
Operations
The role of AFNSEP is to train and deploy Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officers (EPLO). EPLOs are normally senior Air Force Reserve Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) officers, who coordinate military assistance to federal agencies and state governmentState government
A state government is the government of a subnational entity in a federal form of government, which shares political power with the federal or national government. A state government may have some level of political autonomy, or be subject to the direct control of the federal government...
when homeland support is requested.
NASA support
AFNORTH provided the manpower for U.S. Northern Command's Joint Task Force-Space Transportation System, responsible for the search and rescue of NASANASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
astronauts and recovery of or crisis response of the Space Shuttle
Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle was a manned orbital rocket and spacecraft system operated by NASA on 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. The system combined rocket launch, orbital spacecraft, and re-entry spaceplane with modular add-ons...
.