Maturing Defense Support of Civil Authorities and the Dual Status Commander Arrangement through the Lens of Process Improvement

During large-scale emergencies or disasters, National Guard forces regularly operate alongside Active Component forces in response to requests from civil authorities.  Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA), the U.S. military’s domestic disaster response capability is robust. During incidents of great magnitude or duration, when local and state authorities are overwhelmed or unable to respond as needed, civil authorities sometimes request assistance from the Department of Defense (DoD). These DSCA operations span a wide range of scenarios, including response to natural and man-made disasters, civil disturbances, terrorism, and other significant incidents. In the early stages of response operations, lives and property can be at risk, often requiring swift decision-making with limited information, similar to combat operations.
 
The authors advocate the integration of process improvement methods into future Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA) operations. They briefly discuss alternative process improvement strategies and the current state of employment in a variety of DoD programs. Methods discussed include Lean Six Sigma, Total Quality Management, and Capability Maturity Models.  The utility of such methods is demonstrated, and the value in applying process improvement methods to DSCA operations is articulated. Three recommendations are given to demonstrate how a usable process maturity model can be built and employed for future operations. The monograph concludes by reaffirming the inherent utility of, and advocating for, process improvement techniques as a way to mature future DSCA operations using the dual status commander arrangement.
  Related items:
DSCA Handbook: Tactical Level Commander and Staff Toolkit, Liaison Officer Toolkit on Back Cover, 30 July 2010 can be found at this link: https://bookstore.gpo.gov/products/sku/008-020-01600-4
Performance Improvement Guide can be found at this link: https://bookstore.gpo.gov/products/sku/050-012-00508-7
Marine Corps Planning Process can be found at this link: https://bookstore.gpo.gov/products/sku/008-000-01087-1
Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government can be found at this link: https://bookstore.gpo.gov/products/sku/020-000-00292-1