This article is a prime example of the media "Disconnect Effect," a happy-face headline and first couple of paragraphs. But read down and see where it goes...

Utah Guard Says It's Set To Handle Y2K Challenge

(Salt Lake Star Tribune/AP)

"Utah's National Guard unit doesn't plan any special training or preparations for unrest stemming from Y2K complications.

Brig. Gen. Phillip O. Peay, deputy adjutant general of the Utah National Guard, said Utah's guardsmen would react just as it would to an earthquake or flood.

"If the water systems break down, we can haul water," said Peay. "We're just ready. If we had an earthquake tomorrow, we're expected to be ready, and I'm sure the Y2K will be nothing like an earthquake."

But local Guard units and other military leaders are being advised to be prepared for domestic and international problems due to Y2K.

A memo from John J. Hamre, deputy secretary of Defense, sent to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, each military branch and the chief of the National Guard outlines the Department of Defense's plans for Y2K "support to civil authorities."

It says the public and private sectors have taken strides to address problems that may arise when computer clocks turn over to 2000.

"Despite these efforts, it is possible that localized system failures will occur, and that the possibility for more widespread, systemic problems, both domestically and internationally, cannot be ruled out," said the Feb. 22 memo now public on a Pentagon Web site.

Therefore, wrote Hamre, the department is taking steps to ensure it can meet national security responsibilities and respond to requests for help from authorities at home and abroad.

The memo gives local commanders authority to take action without clearing it with higher-ups when it involves "measures to save lives, prevent human suffering, or mitigate great property damage" and time does not permit.

"Overseas, immediate response may be undertaken when time is of the essence and humanitarian considerations require action."

The memo said that, after meeting its other responsibilities, the military may help maintain emergency services like fire, ambulance, police, hospitals and related communications; maintain air traffic control, rail, port and ship navigation systems; and support the dissemination of public information through the media.

After those essential tasks, the military can support the economy and help keep things like mass transit systems running."

-- Anybody know what the "Feb. 22 memo now public on a Pentagon Web site" is referring to?--

-- pshannon (pshannon@sangersreview.com), May 10, 1999

Answers

Here's a related article that talks about the memo:

Military plans for Y2K disruptions By Joe Bauman Deseret News staff writer

While a top Senate staff member denies that the military has secret plans to control social unrest in the case of Y2K disruptions, the Deseret News has located public documents that indicate the military is making contingency plans for reactions to such problems. An Internet site maintained by the Pentagon posted a Feb. 22 memorandum by John J. Hamre, deputy secretary of Defense. The report was sent to the secretaries of the military departments, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the chief of the National Guard Bureau and others. The memo on the Department of Defense Year 2000 "support to civil authorities" begins by outlining the Defense Department's intention to remain fully capable of pursuing its programs as the millennium changes. Also, similar efforts in public and private sectors have resulted in great strides in overcoming potential Y2K problems, Hamre adds. "Despite these efforts, it is possible that localized system failures will occur, and that the possibility for more widespread, systemic problems, both domestically and internationally, cannot be ruled out." Therefore, the department is taking prudent action to ensure its ability to meet national security responsibilities and respond to requests for help from civilian authorities, both domestically and overseas as the millennium changes, he wrote. "Within the United States, local commanders may undertake immediate, unilateral, emergency response actions that involve measures to save lives, prevent human suffering, or mitigate great property damage, only when time does not permit approval by higher headquarters," he wrote. "Overseas, immediate response may be undertaken when time is of the essence and humanitarian considerations require action." Any military action to quell unrest when the millennium turns presumably would involve the National Guard, which is based in the states. However, Brig. Gen. Phillip O. Peay, deputy adjutant general of the Utah National Guard, denied that the Guard has undergone any special training for Y2K. Any action would be "just like we do for those other things" like emergency response during an earthquake or a flood, he said, when contacted in Washington, D.C. "If the water systems break down, we can haul water . . . . We're just ready. If we had an earthquake tomorrow, we're expected to be ready, and I'm sure the Y2K will be nothing like an earthquake." The Guard has no special orders to train for crowd control, Peay added. It is simply expected to be ready for any contingency in which it would be needed. Military action must be carried out in accordance with law, department directives and rules of the branches of the military. The military's main priority will be to carry out its essential national security efforts. "Military units and organizations, to include the Reserve components . . . will not divert resources during the Y2K date transition that could compromise operational readiness without the authorization of the secretary of Defense or his designated representative." Second priority is that, except during immediate response situations, military and combat unit organizations must be monitored closely. Third priority is to maintain domestic public health and safety, Hamre wrote. Such activities may include:

Maintaining emergency services like fire, ambulance, police, hospitals and related communications.

Maintaining air traffic control, rail, port and ship navigation systems.

Supporting the dissemination of public information, "press, radio and television."

Fourth priority is to support the economy and the nation's quality of life, such as helping out local mass transit systems. And the URL is: Link

-- (just@being.helpful), May 10, 1999.

See the following 02/22/1999 page from US Army site:

http://www2.army.mil/army-y2k/depsecdef_dod_civil_support.htm

-- Bill P (porterwn@one.net), May 10, 1999.

Beautiful, Bill. Thanks...

-- pshannon (pshannon@sagersreview.com), May 10, 1999.

Memo ... for the Yourdon archives ... and in case it gets de-linked ...

MEMORANDUM FOR SECRETARIES OF THE MILITARY DEPARTMENTS

CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF

UNDER SECRETARIES OF DEFENSE

ASSISTANT SECRETARIES OF DEFENSE

GENERAL COUNSEL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

ASSISTANTS TO THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE

DIRECTOR, ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT

DIRECTORS OF THE DEFENSE AGENCIES

CHIEF, NATIONAL GUARD BUREAU

SUBJECT: DoD Year 2000 (Y2K) Support to Civil Authorities

References:

a. DoD Directive 3025.1, Military Support to Civil Authorities (MSCA), dated I 1 93.

b. DoD Directive 3 025.15, Military Assistance to Civil -Authorities (MACA), dated 15 February 1997.

c. DoD Directive 5 100.46, Foreign Disaster Relief, dated 4 December 1975.

In order to ensure its operational readiness, the Department is engaged in a sustained and comprehensive program of Y2K systems, network, and Operational testing, as well as contingency assessments. The results of these efforts are demonstrating that the Department will remain fully mission capable throughout the millenium change. Similar efforts in the public and private sectors have resulted in great strides toward Y2K compliance. Despite these efforts, it is possible that localized system failures will occur, and that the possibility for more widespread, systemic problems, both domestically and internationally, cannot be ruled out.

Accordingly, the Department is taking prudent action to ensure its ability to meet its national security responsibilities and, consistent with those responsibilities, to respond to requests for assistance from civil authorities both domestically and overseas throughout the Y2K date transition period. To that end, the Mowing guidance is provided.

DoD support to civil authorities will only be provided in accordance with applicable law, DoD directives, and implementing Service regulations. The above references provide broad authority, direction, and evaluation criteria for DoD responses to civil emergencies and disasters. They have been tested in numerous situations and have proved to be effective.

However past DoD responses typically have been applied to localized acute situations, most of which have not been simultaneous. By contrast the Y2K problem, has the potential to involve a large number of events that occur over broad geographic areas, within a short time frame.

The broad, near-simultaneous, systemic nature of potential problems during the Y2K date transition could lead to two types of stresses on DoD resources and operational readiness:

Immediate responses that appear rational from a local perspective, but could collectively undermine the Department's ability to execute operational missions, and

Prioritizations, which are made on the basis of requests as they are received, but which may quickly become outdated as higher priority requests are received for support already committed elsewhere.

Against this background, it is important to establish a set of criteria that more clearly establishes the Department's focus and response to domestic and foreign requests for military assistance. Accordingly, this memorandum amplifies existing guidance both to utilize and to protect DoD resources for warfighting priorities through the Y2K date transition.

As a basic principle, commanders will not compromise operational readiness in providing support to civil authorities. As directed in reference b, all requests by civil authorities for military assistance shall be evaluated by DoD approval authorities against their impact on DoD's ability to perform its primary national security missions. Within the United States, local commanders may undertake immediate, unilateral, emergency response actions that involve measures to save lives, prevent human suffering, or mitigate great property damage, only when time does not permit approval by higher headquarters. Overseas, immediate response may be undertaken when time is of the essence and humanitarian considerations require action.

Except for immediate response as described above, requests for DoD support will be considered only if submitted through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or appropriate offices of the Department of State. The National Guard will continue its traditional role of providing military support to civil authorities through their respective State Governors, and will simultaneously ensure its ability to respond to national security requirements. Accordingly, the following priorities will be adhered to in responding to domestic emergencies and to any Department of State requests for foreign DoD assistance throughout the Y2K transition period. For the purpose of this memorandum, the Y2K transition date period is defined to be from 1 September 1999 through 31 March 2000.

Priority 1. The Department will retain the capability to take all actions necessary to carry out its essential national security missions. Military units and organizations, to include the Reserve Components, with the assignments indicated below will not divert resources during the Y2K date transition that could compromise operational readiness without the authorization of the Secretary of Defense or his designated representative.

a. Direct support to the National Command Authority.

b. Conduct of ongoing or imminent military operations.

c. Conduct of ongoing or imminent intelligence operations.

d. Conduct of nuclear command and control.

e. Maintenance of Defense and commercial infrastructures essential to support of the above.

Priority 2. Except for immediate response situations. resources in military units and combat support organizations, to include the Reserve Components, assigned to support standing operations plans must be monitored closely particularly if they fall within early execution (first 60 days) of Timed Phased Force and Deployment Data (TPFDD). Responses to requests for consumable or irrecoverable resources in this category must be approved by the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) or his designated representative.

Priority 3: Maintenance of domestic public health and safety. Such activities may include:

a. Maintenance of emergency services (e.g., fire, ambulance, police, hospitals, and related communications).

b. Maintenance of air traffic, rail, port, and ship navigation systems (e.g., Air Traffic Control System).

c. Food distribution. d. Support to public information dissemination (press, television, and radio).

Priority 4: Maintenance of the economy and the Nation's quality of life. These activities include, for example:

a. Support to other Federal Agencies

b. Support to local mass transit systems.

Adjudication of FEMA and State Department requests involving multiple, systemic, or seemingly equal priority requests for domestic MSCA or Foreign Disaster Assistance (FDA) that could affect the Department's ability to conduct the above operations, will be made by the Secretary of Defense or his designated representative in consultation with:

Secretary of the Army (for domestic requests for MSCA),

The CJCS and appropriate CINCs (for FDA requests).

This policy memo is the first in a series designed to ensure the Department's ability to effectively respond to the many and varied demands that may be placed upon it during the Y2K date transition period. I solicit your active and continuous support as we prepare to meet these potential challenges.

[Signed by ... John Hamre, Deputy Secretary of Defense, February 22, 1999]

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), May 10, 1999.

It's nice to know not everyone in D.C. is clueless.

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), May 11, 1999.

Wowie zowie. (Note to self: buy more shovels.)

-- Spidey (in@jam.com), May 11, 1999.

Why do I bother with you people.

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=000iVe

-- (Busy@th.top), May 11, 1999.

Busy@th.top,

You, and the rest of us bother, because many are on overwhelm, and don't read, or re-read the archives, or even lurk at every thread for that matter. (Many top level names are also mis-leading).

Three months ago seems like an eternity, these daze.

Besides, it's once again "on topic" and coupled with the Utah Guard article.

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), May 11, 1999.