When coordination of federal  response activities is required, the Department of Homeland Security— through the Federal Emergency Management Agency—is generally  responsible for coordinating such federal assistance, including assistance  provided by DOD. DOD often is expected to play a prominent role supporting  civil authorities and, in accordance with DOD guidance, must be prepared  to provide rapid response when called upon. Table 1 identifies the  respective response in statuses between National Guard and federal  forces for a CBRN incident. National Guard Has Measured and Determined That the 10 HRFs Are Maintaining Capabilities and Readiness to Conduct Their Mission

The National Guard has determined, through established capabilities and  readiness measures, that the 10 HRFs are maintaining their capabilities  and are ready to conduct the HRF mission. Commanders Measure and Report in the Defense Readiness Reporting System That the HRF Is Ready to Meet Its Mission

The HRF Commanders use the Defense Readiness Reporting System as  a primary tool for tracking and reporting the status of HRF readiness and  report through this system that their HRF is ready to conduct the  necessary tasks and actions to meet its mission. In 2014, the Region X  (Washington) HRF demonstrated its capabilities and readiness by  deploying fatality search and recovery responders and logistics and  operations personnel in support of civil authorities after a mudslide  occurred. However, until an entire HRF is deployed in response to a  CBRN incident, the HRF capabilities and mission readiness of the HRF  will not be entirely known. Six HRF  Commanders told us that they have a goal to maintain or are maintaining  between 10 percent and 30 percent additional, trained National Guard  personnel with prior HRF or similar mission experience. According to some HRF Commanders, the additional  personnel can mitigate the loss of personnel through turnover and other  deployment disqualification factors, such as medical and personal factors. National Guard Bureau and Services Have Issued Guidance to Support the Incorporation of the HRF into DOD’s CBRN Response Enterprise

Since the issuance of the 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review Report and  the National Guard Bureau’s Implementation Base Plan, the National  Guard Bureau has made progress in supporting the inclusion of the HRF  into DOD’s CBRN Response Enterprise by issuing a HRF/CERFP  Concept of Operation and drafted an instruction and corresponding  manual. DOD Is Increasing the Opportunity for the HRF to Exercise with Other Enterprise Members

DOD is making progress in incorporating the HRF into the CBRN  Response Enterprise by synchronizing National Guard Bureau- and   U.S. Northern Command-sponsored exercise schedules, thereby  increasing the opportunity for the HRF to exercise with the other National  Guard and Title 10 CBRN Response Enterprise forces. Figure 6 shows the Region X (Washington) HRF  participating in a CBRN exercise. Agency Comments

We are not making any recommendations in this report. Appendix I: Scope and Methodology

To describe the current status of the Homeland Response Force (HRF)  capabilities, we examined evaluations of capabilities and surveyed all   10 HRF Commanders. We reviewed readiness ratings for each  HRF as recorded in DOD’s Defense Readiness Reporting System for  fiscal year 2012, the first year all 10 HRFs were established, through  March 2016. GAO-15-686T. GAO-12-114.
Why GAO Did This Study

DOD is expected to play a prominent role supporting civil authorities in a CBRN incident. By 2012, DOD had established the HRF, comprising 10 geographically dispersed National Guard forces. Each of the 10 HRFs consists of 583 authorized Army National Guard and Air National Guard personnel who, as part of the HRF, are to respond within 6 to 12 hours of a request for assistance. The HRF, as part of DOD's CBRN Response Enterprise, is intended to bridge the gap between the National Guard's initial response to a CBRN incident and any need for additional capabilities that the DOD military services' active-duty personnel can provide, if requested. The HRF is to provide command and control, search and extraction, medical triage, decontamination, fatality search and recovery, and assistance and support capabilities.
House Report 114-102 included a provision that GAO review matters related to the HRF. This report (1) describes the current status of HRF capabilities and readiness and (2) assesses DOD's progress incorporating the HRF into the CBRN Response Enterprise. GAO examined National Guard fiscal year 2013-15 evaluation reports and fiscal year 2012 through March 2016 readiness information; reviewed combatant command plans and DOD guidance; and surveyed all 10 HRF Commanders about HRF readiness.

What GAO Found

The National Guard has determined, through established capabilities and readiness measures, that the Homeland Response Force (HRF) is ready to conduct the HRF mission if called upon. The Department of Defense's (DOD) National Guard Bureau uses an evaluation of necessary tasks and actions as a primary measure of HRF capabilities and DOD's Defense Readiness Reporting System as a primary measure of readiness status. Six HRF Commanders told GAO that they have a goal to train between 10 percent and 30 percent additional National Guard personnel with prior HRF or similar mission experience. According to the HRF Commanders, these additional personnel, over the 583 authorized personnel, can mitigate the loss of personnel through turnover and other deployment disqualification factors, such as medical and personal factors. The capability and readiness measures indicate that the 10 HRFs are prepared for their mission. However, while the Federal Emergency Management Agency Region X (Washington) HRF partially deployed to support civil authorities after a mudslide occurred, until an entire HRF is deployed in response to a chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) incident, the HRF capabilities and mission readiness will not be entirely known.
DOD has made progress in incorporating the HRF into the CBRN Response Enterprise by updating plans, guidance, and exercises. For example, GAO found that DOD is synchronizing major exercise schedules, thereby increasing the opportunity for the HRF to exercise with the other CBRN Response Enterprise National Guard and federal response forces. The figure below shows the plan for DOD's response to a CBRN incident.

What GAO Recommends

GAO is not making any recommendations. DOD's technical comments on a draft of this report were incorporated in the final product.