Military Installation Logistics Coordinator (Only used when a battalion is ordered)

Introduction

The Military Installation Logistics Coordinator is a national Training Cadre position (refer to the national Military Mobilization Guide) that facilitates the mobilization and training of military battalions for use as firefighting crews during National Preparedness Level 5 situations. Once a military battalion is activated, the Military Installation Logistics Coordinator travels to military installation and coordinates the efforts of the mobilization/training with the Military Installation Commander and his/her staff. He/she is the primary on-site contact during the mobilization.

Mobilization of military assets is a complicated, detailed, and time-consuming process and cannot be accomplished within the existing organizational structure. Although, no IQCS qualifications are required for this position, prior experience with military mobilizations is essential due to the complex and sensitive nature of military relations. Four of the individuals that have previously performed these duties recently retired from the federal fire service depleting the pool of experienced personnel. Therefore, the creation of an AD THSP position is needed since there are few, if any, trainees that have the experience to perform the duties of Military Installation Logistics Coordinator.

Duties

• Maintains contact with the National Military Logistics Coordinator—NIFC and acts on his/her behalf to coordinate the mobilization of military troops for use as wildland firefighting crews.
• Provides briefings to Military Installation Commander and his command structure on what is going to happen before and during activation of the battalion.
• Provides briefings to the newly assigned Military Battalion Commander and his staff on what is going to happen before and during activation of the battalion.
• Attends pre-deployment briefings at military installation with the Military Battalion Commander and staff to answer questions and provide knowledge. Attends additional briefings with the Battalions
  S-1, S-3, S-4 and military Movement Coordinator as needed.
• Develops a list of installation contacts at the installation for use by the National Military Coordinator—NIFC, NIFC Advanced Party, Training Coordinator, and Training/Cadre Logistics Coordinator.
• Supervises members of the Military Installation Logistics Team (Military Logistics-Ramp person, Military Logistics–PPE person, Purchasing Agent, and several support personnel).
• Sets up a meeting between NIFC Advanced Party, Military Installation Commander, Military Battalion Commander and support staff so all parties understand what is expected of one another.
• Provides transportation for the NIFC Advanced Party between the airport and the military installation.
• Coordinates with the battalion’s S-4 to provide classroom space for military training and equipment distribution. This includes securing a secured location to house fire equipment, securing military personnel to help with off-loading and transporting equipment to the secured location, and distributing equipment to military troops.
• Coordinates with the battalion’s S-4 to provide office space, on-post dining and transportation needs for the Battalion Military Liaison (BNML) and MCADs while at the installation. Makes sure the military bus(es) and driver(s) are committed to this duty exclusively and at the call of the logistics team.
• Directs the Purchasing Agent to arrange for off-post food, lodging, transportation, computer rental and support for Training Cadre, BNML, and MCADs.
• Ensures that the Military Logistics-Ramp team member attains proper takeoff and landing authorizations (Prior Permission Requests) from the National Military Coordinator and identifies staging and loading areas at the airport.
• Contacts the civilian airport manager or military flight control and advises them of mission aircraft type, ETAs and fuel requirements. Also coordinates with the military Division Transportation Officer (DTO) for aircraft tug or equivalent, and A/C parking areas.
• Relays all aircraft flight following information to NICC within established guidelines and ensures aircraft passenger manifests and load configurations are completed and shared with appropriate parties (NICC, Loadmasters, Movement Coordinator, etc.).
• Assists in resolving issues or problems associated with the aircraft, passengers or flight and coordinates with the BNML and Battalion S-1 for accurate completion of passenger and cargo manifests.
• Closes out with military installation personnel after the battalion and MCADs have departed for the incident. This includes packaging and shipping back to NIFC all non-issued equipment; returning rental equipment, cars, vans and finalizing and paying bills; releasing all military transportation and drivers back to the installation motor pool.

Position Knowledge and/or Requirements

• Knowledge required for this position is broad in nature.
• Due to the complex nature of military operations, individuals filling this position must have a thorough knowledge of military protocol and command structure.
• Individuals must have a thorough knowledge of the logistics function within ICS.
• Individuals must be able to perform in a dynamic environment under compressed time schedules with little or no direct supervision.
• Individuals must be willing to instruct others (trainees) in the requirements of the job to develop a larger pool of potential candidates for future deployments.

Supervisory Controls

The National Military Coordinator—NIFC, as outlined in the National Military Mobilization Handbook, supervises this position. However, since the duties of the position are accomplished at the military installation and the supervisor is located at NIFC, the individual filling the position is required to make decisions and perform independently using sound judgment to complete assignments and resolve most problems.

Since the duties of position occur at the military installation, oversight is also indirectly monitored by the Military Installation Commander and his/her staff.

Guidelines

The guidelines for the position are located in the Military Use Handbook. However, this document basically provides the guidelines for the position and does not require considerable adaptation and/or interpretation.

While at the military installation, application of specific military policies/guidelines will be required. Each military installation has its own policies and guidelines that cannot be expressed here or in the Military Use Handbook.

Complexity

Individuals filling this position apply their knowledge, skills, and abilities that they have gained on previous deployments of military battalions to make their current deployment go as smoothly as possible. The process is pretty straight forward but problems always arise during each and every battalion mobilization. The Individual will develop a plan of action and analyze the situation so that the work can progress in a timely manner.

Every military installation (Army or Marines) and every battalion within has its own problems or hurdles that need to be overcome that the individual filling the position needs to resolve. Many times the battalion is not an “organic” battalion which presents issues of time management and leadership authority.

Scope and Effect

The purpose of the work functions at the national level to facilitate the mobilization of a military battalion (approximately 500 troops) to fight fires during National Preparedness Level 5 situations when civilian resources are not readily available and military assets are the only resources to further the mission of wildland fire suppression.

Since military personnel lack the specific requirements to perform wildland firefighting duties, a logistics/training cadre is assembled to train and mobilize troops in a compressed time schedule. Once trained, military troops are generally assigned to Type 1 or 2 incidents.

Personal Contacts

Individuals in this position are required to make periodic contacts with the National Military Coordinator—NIFC, Battalion Military Liaison, Training Coordinator, and Training/Cadre Logistics Coordinator.

While at the military installation, individuals have direct contact with the Military Installation Commander and his/her staff, the Military Battalion Commander and his/her staff, and DOD civilian US NORTHCOM incumbents. These contacts are made at a national level.

Purpose of Contacts

The purpose of the contacts is to coordinate and organize at the military installation the training, equipping, and mobilization of a military battalion for use a firefighting resources during National Preparedness Level 5 situations.

Physical Demands

The physical demands of the position are sedentary very much like the physical demands of a command staff position on an IMT.

Work Environment

The work is performed at a military installation both in offices and field locations. Some of the work is also performed in a town located near the installation. Travel is required for this position. Cell phone use and rental car(s) are required.