Seite 7: - Der Seuchenplan CONPLAN 3591

Der Seuchenplan CONPLAN 3591 (CONFIDENTIAL / FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY) hat das Ziel, "planning and synchronization of DOD's global response to a potential pandemic" und daher koordiniert der Plan den "national effort in response to a potential pandemic resulting from human-to-human transmission of an influnza virus". Eine jüngere Version, CONPLAN 3591-09, mit einem Umfang von 433 Seiten, stammt vom 13. August 2009 und ist im Internet verfügbar. Er müsste für die gegenwärtige SARS CoV-2/Covid-19-Pandemie entsprechend angepasst werden.

Zur Gefahreneinschätzung heißt es in dem Influenza-Plan nüchtern:

The threat of future Pandemic Influenza (PI) has serious national security implications for the United States. Because humans have little or no immunity to a new virus, an pandemic can occur with substantially higher sickness and mortality rates than normal influenza. Three human pandemics have occured in the 20th century, each resulting in illness in approximately 30% of the world population and death in 0.2% to 2% of those infected. Using this historical information and current models of disease transmission, it is projected that a modern pandemic could lead to the deaths of 200,000 to 2 million Americans.

Bezüglich der erwünschten Gegenmaßnahmen haben sich die Militärbürokraten folgende rhetorische Formeln ausgedacht:

(5) National Response Framework (NRF). The NRF is a guide to how the National conducts all-hazards responds. It is built upon scalable, flexible, and adaptable coordinationg structures to align key roles and responsabilities across the Nation. It describes specific authorities and best practices for managing incidents that range fromthe serious but purely local, to large-scale structure for support provied under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (…).

(c) National Disaster Medical System (NDMS). Although NDMS plays a signifcant role in disasters and emergencies, the pandemic environment will minimize the effectiveness and limit the normal role of NDMS due to the widespread nature of the pandemic, as well as anticipated restrictions on travel and movement.

(6) National Strategy. The President's National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza frames how the US response to PI will be accomplished. The pillars of the National Strategy include:

(a) Preparedness and Communication
(b) Surveillance and Detection
(c) Response and Containment

(7) National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza Implementation Plan (NIP). The NIP expands on the National Strategy and synchronzes objectives in items 6a, 6b and 6c above with the intent of (1) stopping, slowing, or otherwise limiting the spread of a pandemic to the United States, (2) limiting the domestic spread of a pandemic and mitigating disease, suffering, and death, and (3) sustaining infrastructure and mitigating impact to the economy and the functioning of society. The plan also provides guidance for the following areas:

(a) US Government planning
(b) US Government response
(c) International efforts
(d) Transportation and borders
(e) Protecting human health
(f) Protecting animal health
(g) Law enforcement, public safety, and security
(h) Institutional considerations

(8) US Government (USG) Stages. USG Stages are trigger points that reflect geography driven decision points tied to when potential Federal responses will take effect:

(a) Stage O - New domestic animal outbreak in at-risk country
(b) Stage 1 - Suspected human outbreak from animal overseas
(c) Stage 2 - Confirmed human outbreak overseas
(d) Stage 3 - Widespread human outbreaks at mutliple locations overseas
(e) Stage 4 - First human case in North America
(f) Stage 5 - Spread throughout the United States
(g) Stage 6 - Recovery and preparation for subsequent waves

Zur Durchführung seiner Maßnahmen und Kooperation mit den zivilen Behörden wird NORTHCOM vor Ort regionale Joint Field Offices (JFOs) errichten:

JFO is the multi-agency coordination center establish in or near the incident site for coordinating incident-related prevention, preparadness, response, and recovery actions under the NRF. During a pandemic, JFOs will be established for multi-agency coordination with associated PFOs, Federal coordinating officers (FCOs) and NRF ESFs activated as necessary. The five Regional JFO, A-E, are currently planned for the following locations:

Region A: Boston, MA
Region B: Atlanta, GA
Region C: Chicago, IL
Region D: Denton, TX
Region E: Bothwell, WA

The five alternate Regional JFOs are currently planned for the following locations:

Region A: New York, NY
Region B: Philadelphia, PA
Region C: Denver, CO
Region D: Kansas City, MO
Region E: Oakland, CA

Der "Annex Q" beschäftigt sich mit den Details der Health Services (Seite 324-394). Dabei wurde schon 2009 kritisch angemerkt (Seite 326):

A pandemic will overwhelm the current civilian healthcare system. The increase in patients requiring hospitalization and critical care will result in shortages of multiple resources including personnel and equipment. This will create a situation so overwhelming that local, state, tribal, and non-military Federal responders cannot manage the situation.

Darüber hinaus erarbeitete NORTHCOM CONPLAN 3551 DOD Global Pandemic Influenza Concept Plan. Die Version CONPLAN 3551-07 stammt vom 1. Oktober 2007. Der Plan nennt sechs Phasen einer Pandemieentwicklung: (0) Shape, (1) Prevent, (2) Contain, (3) Interdict, (4) Stabilize, and (5) Recover.

Parallel dazu stellte das Pentagon - in Abstimmung mit dem State Department - einen Department of Defense Implementation Plan for Influenza Pandemic auf. Dieses Dokument deklarierte, dass man für die ersten achtzig Tage einer Pandemie genügend ABC-Schutzmaterial (Anzüge, Masken und Handschuhe) bevorraten würde; außerdem forderte es den Ausbau des Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System (GEIS) durch den Aufbau zusätzlicher Testkapazitäten und den Ausbau der Fähigkeit, Ansteckungsketten aufzuklären. Im Falle einer Pandemie sei die Entwicklung eines Impfstoffes Aufgabe der Military Vaccine Agency (MILVAX) der U.S. Army. Das Papier verspricht u. a.:

DOD's first priority, in the eventof a flu pandemic, will be to ensure sufficient personnel, equipment, facilities, materials and pharmaceuticals to provice the highest possible level of health support to DOD forces, civilian personel, and beneficiaries als well as to protect and preserve DOD's worldwide operative effectiveness.

Kommandostab U.S. NORTHCOM

Das Territorium der USA wird im Militärsprachgebrauch als Continental USA (CONUS) bezeichnet. Die hier im Heimatland stationierten Truppen werden heutzutage - wenn sie nicht einem anderen Militärkommando unterstellt sind - vom U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) geführt. Dieses Kommando wurde am 1. Oktober 2002 im Rahmen einer Streitkräftereform gegründet. Sein Hauptquartier, das Standing Joint Force Headquarters North (SJFHQ-N), befindet sich auf der Petersen Air Force Base (AFB) bei Colorado Springs. Dessen Kernstück ist das Joint Operations Center im Gebäude Nr. 2 auf dem Stützpunkt.

NORTHCOM-Befehlshaber ist seit dem 24. Mai 2018 der Luftwaffen-General Terrence John O'Shoughnessy, sein Stellvertreter Generalleutnant Reynold Nelson Hoover. Für die Ausarbeitung des Einsatzplanes ist der Director of Plans, Policy and Strategy zuständig.

NORTHCOM verfügt nur über 1.200 Mann Stabspersonal, da ihm i. d. R. keine eigenen Truppenkontingente unterstellt sind. Vielmehr dient es im Bedarfsfall als Führungskommando für die Einheiten auf dem US-Territorium, die ihm dann zur Erfüllung seines Auftrags unterstellt werden. Dazu betreibt Kommando sieben nachgeordnete Subkommandos. So dient die Joint Task Force Civil Support (JTF-CS) in Fort Monroe der Zusammenarbeit mit den Zivilbehörden im Bereich Krisenmanagement und Terrorismusbekämpfung. Die Joint Task Force North (JTF-North) mit Sitz auf dem Biggs Army Airfield von Fort Bliss unterstützt die Zivilbehörden bei der Strafverfolgung.

Im Falle eines Notstandes werden dem NORTHCOM Truppenteile der U. S. Fifth Army (HQ Fort Sam Housten), der First Air Force (HQ Tyndall AFB) und der U. S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve (HQ New Orleans) unterstellt.

Die Fifth Army hat folgende Gliederung:

• Joint Task Force North, Fort Bliss
• Joint Task Force*Civil Support
• 505th (Theater) Military Intelligence Brigade
• Task Force 46 der Michigan Army National Guard in Lansing
• Task Force 51 (Marine Corps)
• Task Force 76 (Army Reserve) in Salt Lake City
• 263rd Army Air and Missile Defense Command
• 678th Air Defense Artillery Brigade der South Carolina Army National Guard in Anderson
• 3rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command in Fort Bragg
• 4th Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade in Fort Carson
• 377th Theater Sustainment Command (Army Reserve)
• Defense Coordinating Elements
• Emergency Preparation Liaison Officers (Army Reserve)
• United States Army North Civil Support Training Activity

Die 1st Air Force (1st AF) gliederte sich 2018 wie folgt:

• Eastern Air Defense Sector (EADS) auf der Griffiss AFB
• Western Air Defense Sector (WADS) auf der McChord AFB
• 601st Air and Space Operations Center (601 AOC) auf der Tyndall AFB
• Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC) auf der Tyndall AFB
• Air Force National Security Emergency Preparedness Agency (AFNSEP), Tyndall AFB
• 1 AF Detachment 1 in Winnipeg (Kanada)
• Air Force Element, Joint Air Defense Operations Center (AFELM JADOC) auf der Bolling AFB in Washington
• Detachment 2, First Air Force in North Bay (Kanada)
• Civil Air Patrol (CAP) auf der Maxwell AFB

Im Bedarfsfall führt die 1st AF zwölf Geschwader der Air National Guard: 104th, 113th, 119th, 125th, 138th, 142nd, 144th, 147th, 148th, 158th, 159th und 177th Wing.

Die Marine Corps Forces Reserve (MFR) hat folgende Gliederung:

• Force Headquarters Group (New Orleans)
  - Intelligence Support Battalion (New Orleans)
  - 6th Communications Battalion (Fort Benett Field)
  - 4th Law Enforcement Battalion (St. Paul)
  - 1st Civil Affairs Group (Camp Pendleton)
  - 2nd Civil Affairs Group (Anacostia)
  - 3rd Civil Affairs Group (Great Lakes)
  - 4th Civil Affairs Group (Hialeah)
  - 3rd ANGLICO (Bell)
  - 4th ANGLICO (West Palm Beach)
  
• 4th Marine Division (New Orleans)
  - Headquarters Battalion (New Orleans)
  - 4th Tank Battalion (San Diego)
  - 4th Light Armored Recon (Camp Pendleton)
  - 4th Recon Bataillion (San Antonio)
  - 4th Combat Engineer Battalion (Batlimore)
  - 4th Assault Amphibian Battalion (Tampa)
  - 3rd Force Recon Company (Mobile)
  - 4th Force Recon Company (Alameda)
  - 23rd Marine Regiment (San Bruno)
  -- Headquarters Company (San Bruno)
  -- 1st Battalion 23rd Marines (Houston)
  -- 2nd Battalion 23rd Marines (Pasadena)
  -- 3rd Battalion 23rd Marines (Bridgeton)
  -- 2nd Battalion 24th Marines (Chicago)
  - 25th Marine Regiment (Fort Devens)
  -- Headquarters Company (Fort Devens)
  -- 1st Battalion 25th Marines (Fort Devens)
  -- 2nd Battalion 25th Marines (Garden City)
  -- 3rd Battalion 25th Marines (Brook Park)
  -- 1st Battalion 24th Marines (Detroit)
  - 14th Marine Regiment (Fort Worth)
  -- Headquarters Battery (Fort Worth)
  -- 2nd Battalion 14th Marines (Grand Prairie)
  -- 3rd Battalion 14th Marines (Philadelphia)
  -- 5th Battalion 14th Marines (Seal Beach)
  
• 4th Marine Aircraft Wing (New Orleans)
  - Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 4 (New Orleans)
  - Marine Aviation Training Support Group 42
  - 4th Marine Aircraft Wing Site Support (Miramar)
  - Marine Transport Squadron (Belle Chasse)
  - Marine Transport Squadron (Andrews)
  - Marine Aircraft Group 41 (Fort Worth)
  -- Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 41
  -- Marine Fighter/Attack Squadron 112 mit F/A-18C
  -- Marine Fighter Training Squadron 401 mit F-5E II
  -- Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 764 mit MV-22B
  -- Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 234 mit KC-130T
  -- Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 4
  -- Marine Wing Support Squadron 471
  -- Marine Wing Support Squaron 473
  - Marine Aircraft Group 49 (Willow Grove)
  -- Marine Logistics Squadron 49
  -- Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 772 mit CH-53E
  -- Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 773 mit AH-1W
  -- Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron mit MV-22B
  -- Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron mit KC-130T
  -- Marine Wing Support Squadron 472
  - Marine Air Control Group 48 (Fort Sheridan)
  -- Marine Tactical Air Command Squadron 48
  -- Marine Wing Communications Squadron 48
  -- Marine Air Control Squadron 24
  -- Marine Air Support Squadron 6
  
• 4th Marine Logistics Group (New Orleans)
  - Headquarters & Service Battalion
  - 4th Dental Battalion (Marietta)
  - 4th Medical Battalion (San Diego)
  - 6thEngineer Support Battalion (Portland)
  - Combat Logistics Regiment 4 (Kansas City)
  -- Combat Logistics Battaliion 23 (Fort Lewis)
  -- Combat Logistics Battalion 453 (Aurora)
  - Combat Logistics Regiment 45 (Marietta)
  -- Combar Logistics Battalion 25 (Red Bank)
  -- Combat Logistics Battalion 451 (Charlotte)

Seit dem 1. Oktober 2008 verfügt das Kommando über eine CBRNE Consequence Management Response Force. Diese wird vom 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team (1st ABCT) in Fort Stewart gestellt, die zur 3rd Infantry Division (HQ Hunter Airfield bei Savannah) gehört. Die 3rd Infantry Division war bis Mitte der neunziger Jahre in Bayern stationiert.

Zur Erfüllung seiner Aufgaben arbeitet NORTHCOM eng mit den verschiedenen Geheimdiensten zusammen: Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), National Security Agency (NSA), National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), usw.

Nachdem zwei Soldaten auf dem Fliegerhorst am 23. März 2020 auf das Corona-Virus positiv getestet wurden, erklärte der Standortkommandant Oberst Thomas Falzarano, zugleich Kommandeur des 21st Space Wing, ein "Public Health Emergency":

The declaration of a public health emergency allows the base commander to take certain protective measures, such as restricting base movement and limiting services. The emergency order is in place for 30 days. The order can be terminated or extended as required.

"Declaring a public health emergency on Peterson allows us a proactive approach to protect the safety and health of our Airmen and the surrounding community," said Col. Thomas Falzarano, 21st Space Wing and Peterson AFB installation commander. "Our top priority remains mitigating the effects and potential spread of this coronavirus.

Zwei Tage später wurde "Health Protection Condition Charlie - Substantial Risk" (HPCON Charlie) für den Standort erklärt. Das ist die zweithöchste von fünf Gefährdungsstufen. Die obersten militärischen Seuchenbekämpfer waren somit selbst durch die Seuche gefährdet.