April 2019 Commander Call Communications Update

1. April 2019 Commander Call Communications Update LtCol David Rudawitz Director of Communications Oregon Wing Communications - Voice of Command

2. Topics • Participation in training opportunities • HF stations and HF participation • Unit Emergency Communications Plans • New LMR Equipment • TDFM Training • ORWG Annual Communications Exercise ORWG April 2019 Commanders Call Communications Update

3. Participation in Training Opportunities • Ongoing Issues • Current attendance at monthly webinars is well below expectations (average about 10) • Participation in COMMEXs is still extremely low • New members are not getting ICUT training • Member proficiency with communications assets, methods and procedures • Mobile assets not being used during weekly nets (VHF and HF) • Need command support to increase participation • Annual ORWG COMMEX 29 June ORWG April 2019 Commanders Call Communications Update

4. ICUT Completion • ICUT training levels are below dismal • Must have ICUT to use ISR radios. • Unit Comm Officers are authorized, automatically, to administer and certify ICUT training vice wing. • Wing will do train-the-trainer as needed. ORWG April 2019 Commanders Call Communications Update

5. HF Stations and HF Participation • We need HF MCS/ANCS base stations in • Bend/Redmond • Medford/Grants Pass • Eugene/McMinnville • HF station participation in ORWG/PCR/NTN nets needs to increase • Units need to participate in nets with theirmobile HF stations • Do not prevent access to communications rooms to use them for testing ORWG April 2019 Commanders Call Communications Update

6. Unit Emergency Communications Plans • Instructions for unit members for actions in the event of major/complete loss of commercial communications and CAP activation • Not just for a CSZ event • ORWG ICP at UAO unless unavailable (CSZ) and then at RDM • Standardized format being developed by Operations/Communications for use later this year ORWG April 2019 Commanders Call Communications Update

7. New LMR Equipment • Waivers submitted for TA compliance • ORWG specific programming waiting on new national code plug and PCR standardization • National nearing release of APX radio user training • Some amount of new equipment expected no sooner than this summer ORWG April 2019 Commanders Call Communications Update

8. TDFM Training • New course developed by ORWG will be released on ORWG website very soon. • Course intended to work with LMS training ORWG April 2019 Commanders Call Communications Update

9. ORWG Annual COMMEX • COMMEX19 is ORWG’s annual communications exercise • Saturday 29 June 0800 - 1500 • ICP at UAO • Mission: REQ-19-2518 ORWG April 2019 Commanders Call Communications Update

10. Operational Intentions: • “Are the Oregon Wing and all of its Squadrons fully prepared and adequately trained to respond to a major disruptive event and are our communications capabilities sufficient to sustain our mission?” • Provide a safe and supportive environment for all ORWG members to operate radios, practice communications procedures, and exercise and wing and squadron alerting and incident response procedures. • Provide reliable and comprehensive communications support for associated Emergency Services missions. ORWG April 2019 Commanders Call Communications Update

11. Operational Intentions (2): • Celebrate successes; identify procedural deficiencies; and encourage units to revise their Emergency Communications Plans based on their exercise experiences. • Request WAWG and IDWG participation by simulating extra-ORWG resources for relays and sending injects and tasking requests to exercise PCR net capabilities. • Provide a coordinated opportunity to train and certify as many cadet and senior members as possible in communications skills. Plan for and provide the necessary resources to ensure trainer and trainee success. ORWG April 2019 Commanders Call Communications Update

12. Exercise Overview • In the context of an unspecified major disruptive event the ICP will initiate Alert Level 1 operations and communicate the activation to all units using HF radio as a first choice. ORWG will remain at Alert Level 1 thought the entire exercise. • Units will alert their members per their Emergency Communications Plan (ECP) to designated rally points. Units are to carefully monitor the success of the activation and identify any gaps in the notification and activation process. ORWG April 2019 Commanders Call Communications Update

13. Exercise Overview (2) • Units should assign MROs (encourage Cadets!) to participate in the HF radio nets. • Units identify available resources, complete an OPSTAT form, and transmit it to the ICP preferably via HF. ORWG April 2019 Commanders Call Communications Update

14. OPSTAT Form

15. Exercise Overview (3) • Actual and notional air and ground sorties will be planned, released, and managed by the ICP using only CAP communications resources (HF and VHF). • Units with aircraft will need an AOBD and Flight Release Officer in order to actually fly a sortie. This capability should be reported to the ICP on the OPSTAT form! • We will provide an Exercise Guide prior to the event. ORWG April 2019 Commanders Call Communications Update

16. Radio Activities • You will receive a task code and a request to plan and fly / or just plan the mission. • Determine if the airport is working or closed and reply with the correct code from a list provided. ORWG April 2019 Commanders Call Communications Update

17. Airport TID Codes

18. Radio Activities (2) • Request and receive initial and updated OPSTAT Situation Reports from all participating units. • Participate in Region HF radio nets. • Support flight operations.

19. Evaluation “Are the Oregon Wing and all of its Squadrons fully prepared and adequately trained to respond to a major disruptive event and are our communications?” • Did your Emergency Communications Plan work well? • Was the alerting and response process well understood by all participants? • Were radio communications effective? • Did you employ risk management and was the activity performed safely?

20. Questions

21. What do I need from You • Help to identify and encourage your unit members to become active in the communications program. • Increase ICUT completion • Actively support member participation in weekly nets and conducting practice and tests with other stations • Encourage members to attend/take communications training that is available • Maximum participation in COMMEX 2019 29 June • Direct requests for training to communications@orwg.cap.gov ORWG April 2019 Commanders Call Communications Update