Northern Command Exercise Program

.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) consistently exercises and tests for emergency preparedness to perform its homeland defense and civil support missions. The goal is to train as you fight to prepare for future wicked problems. NORTHCOM has an active exercise program, but the involvement of interagency partners and states require improvement according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office. Its exercise program is consistent with the requirements of DoD's Joint Training System, but problems exist with integrated endeavors with the National Exercise Program (NEP). NORTHCOM faces challenges with involving states in the planning, conduct, and assessment of its exercises, such as adapting its exercise system and practices to involve other …show more content…
The New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ) Catastrophic Planning Project and exercises such as VIGILANT SHIELD and VIBRANT RESPONSE are just a few of the yearly homeland defense events that provide an opportunity to exercise mission planning, collaboration, and execution as well as train headquarters staffs and components on assigned missions. These notional scenarios aimed at improving operational effectiveness and interoperability to prepare and ensure readiness take place in a variety of geographic locations. Equally important, these simulated national scenarios are arranged in order of increasing complexity to introduce new skills for each iteration while building on previous lessons learned. Preparedness events allow state and federal entities to work jointly to address specific shortcomings to communication, information sharing, and response coordination procedures, along with the development of decision points for transitioning authorities to and from federal control. Additionally, training and readiness requirements for NORTHCOM exercises planning and execution will help develop proficiencies and increase levels of