JTF-CS' Tasking and Roles and Responsibilities for CBRN and DSCA: How to Successfully Achieve the Transition to DSCA all Hazards, while Maintaining CBRN No-Fail Mission and Readiness

Joint Task Force Civil Support (JTF-CS) is the nations only standing JTF to respond to chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) events. JTF-CS was established in 1999 as a subordinate command to United States Northern Command (NORTHCOM). In 2020, NORTHCOM expanded JTF-CS mission set from an exclusive focus on CRBN events to include all hazards Defense Support to Civil Authorities (DSCA) response operations in a future homeland defense operating environment. In response, JTF-CS revised their mission statement, reorganized their staff ad-hoc, and developed a new organizational employment model--the Headquarters Echelon Concept (HEC). The new mission statement was approved by NORTHCOM in 2022. This report summarizes our analysis of JTF-CS tasking and roles and responsibilities for CBRN and DSCA. We examine how the expansion of DSCA all hazards as an additional mission set has impacted JTF-CS missions, functions, and tasks (MFT), and staffing requirements. We also review the HEC organizational structure and how the command transformation aligns with the new MFT to optimize staff structure and efficiencies. We conclude with an overall assessment of the HEC and how the command can successfully achieve the transition to DSCA all hazards, while maintaining its CBRN no-fail mission and readiness.