Reorganization of Defense Coordinating Officer and Element
Abstract
The organization of Defense Coordinating Officers (DCOs) and Defense Coordinating Elements (DCEs) in 2005 impeded coordination and interagency cooperation during the federal response to Hurricane Katrina. In 2006, the program was reorganized to improve the coordination and training of the military personnel involved in disaster operations. The reorganization included the identification and staffing of full-time active duty DCOs, the creation of full-time DCEs, and their collocation with each of the 10 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) regional offices. This monograph will discuss these changes and analyze their impact on the effectiveness of the Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA) mission. The analysis will cover three areas affected by the organizational changes: the level of coordination between the DCO and his/her staff, the DCE, and other federal, state, regional, and local disaster response organizations; the increased training level of DCO and DCE personnel; and the decreased lead-time required before requested assistance arrives at the disaster area. The monograph proves that the changes made to the DCO/DCE organization increased the overall effectiveness of the DSCA mission.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 06, 2012
- Accession Number
- ADA570045
Entities
People
- Tanya L. Schilling
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College