To Do

1. Comprehensive &1 Reform
2. Comprehensive Enabler Reform
3. First Responders [Let him die?]
4. Cover Story [CIA for observing obl]
5. Bush built it; Who tears it down?
6. Lawyer Ethics
7. Is God Dark Energy?
8. To Open slide finger under edge…
9. CT vs COIN
10. Space Exists!
11. Joplin Mayor had less than two (2) years of experience
12. The Evolution of FEMA’s Responsibility

Needed: Comprehensive Command and Control Reform

David Gergen and I saw need for improvement in the Obama administration’s response to the BP oil well disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. LTG Russell Honore, USA, (ret.) described a command and control structure for addressing the crisis during multiple interviews on CNN. I decided that Colin Powell was “the answer.” Woodward decided that Colin Powell would be the “right” person to replace Robert Gates as Secretary of Defense.

Joplin is 60 miles west of here. In less than 12 hours, Joplin had been declared a state emergency and a Federal Disaster area. Initial reports on CNN seemed to discourage local people helping out and leaving the situation to the “professional” first responders. This is counter to the local culture.

Early news coverage included statements by the Governor of Missouri, Jay Nixon, and a MG from the Missouri National Guard saying they were here to support the local authorities. By May 25, 2011, CNN was reporting that it seemed like no one was in charge. However, two parents had been kept out of the morgue for 3 days. “This is a Federal Disaster. We have to be 100% certain.”

George W. Bush was the Decider. Barack Obama is the Sage. Barack Obama is also the Commander in Chief (CINC). Since Donald Rumsfeld “transformed” our forces, CINC Obama is the only CINC. We need to UNTRANSFORM some of our forces so that we have full functional capability in general purpose command and control. We may not need to have (m)any Field Armies but we do need to have comprehensive (full functional) command and control capability.

Any task force that responds to a general disaster needs to have full functional capability.

Joplin does not have a functional integrated C3 system to include a disaster recover database.

Somebody in the system has the set of formal addresses as recognized by the USPS. Junk mailers can get access to the addresses. We have just completed a census. Sounds like what’s needed to be able to identify within 10% how many people are missing.

Joplin needs communication for cell phones and computers. The devastation is only a mile or less wide so water is accessible locally.

I have heard only one person mention on TV that search and recovery operations need to extend Eastward, perhaps to Springfield.

Joplin needs UNTRANSFORMED general purpose command and control. CINC Obama is expected Sunday.

We have spent 10 years "investing" in homeland security until we have the "Top Secret America" described in a Washington Post series a few months ago. We are heavy on the Intel. We need to reestablish an Ops capability.

The concept is simple - a rapid reaction deployable CCIS node for disaster recovery. In the GAMO and JINTACCS communities, this would be the JTF headquaters node. In WWMCCS, it would include R2DC3, DWC4, and FORWARD TALK. In NATO, it would be the MWHQ initiative of Task Force 6 (C3).

(DR)2H

Lesson Learned 1001

Shave BEFORE putting on sunblock.

(DR)2H

to the Shores of Tripoli - 2

So much for Transparency: http://huff.to/eJRBcd.

(DR)2H

to the Shores of Tripoli

The untransformed US Navy and US Marine Corps would have picked up the 270 US citizens and friendly nationals. I believe they could have done it under all the weather conditions.

Who is responsible for this degradation of our forces? Donald Rumsfeldt?

The Navy and Marines belong in the Carribean and Mediterranean NOT Iraq or Afghanistan.

(DR)2H

Jobs, Jobs, Jobs and the US Flag

President Obama is responsible for enforcing the US Code with respect to the US Flag in the District of Columbia and Federal Installations. The US Flag is not supposed to be used in decorations and strict guidance is given for the Flag's use. I think the US Flag is misused in John King USA on CNN and in nearly all political party statements where multiple US Flags are used. I noticed it with President Obama and then Speaker Pelosi first.

I think it is well within Congress's intent for the President to disallow any sales, wearing of, or any other presentation of a US Flag within the District of Columbia which was not made in the USA. That excludes China. This should contribute to Jobs, Jobs, Jobs in the US.

See ABCNews by Diane Sawyer earlier tonight.

(DR)2H

They Forget About Human Nature

As I was growing up on a farm in southwest Missouri, I would discuss the issues of the day with my mother. About the time I was in the 6th grade, Canada adopted “socialized medicine.” It seemed like the Christian thing to do to me.

My parents would always comment, “They forget about human nature.”
At that time, I was a Christian and trying to live a good life (most of the time). Human nature didn’t seem that bad to me.

I now see what they meant. It is human nature to feel entitled to entitlements.

(DR)2H