August 25, 2006 6:05 p.m. EST

Matthew Borghese - All Headline News Staff Writer
San Diego, CA (AHN) - The U.S. government has assembled over 600 military members, Defense Department employees and contractors, first responders, nongovernmental organization representatives and technologists to help evolve the American response to disasters.

According to the Pentagon, "Strong Angel III," the third in a series of disaster response exercises, revolves around the scenario of a worldwide viral pandemic that stretches emergency response efforts toward the breaking point. At the same time, a terrorist network launches a wave of cyber-attacks that disable communications throughout the United States when they're needed most.

Navy Cmdr. (Dr.) Eric Rasmussen, exercise director and chairman of the Department of Medicine at Naval Hospital Bremerton, Washington, says "Helping prepare for such a contingency, and promoting civil-military cooperation in meeting its challenges, is the goal of Strong Angel III."

Marine Corps Lt. Col. Michael Zwingle, Marine emergency preparedness liaison officer for the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Region 9, was coordinating with other Strong Angel III players to determine what military resources were available to meet their needs.

"They tell me what capability they need, and I tell them what assets we have and what we can do," he said. "They are looking for assets. I look for resources and offer suggestions."

"I can tell you from experience that it's deeply advantageous to know each other beforehand," Rasmussen explains. "Our major goal is to establish a model of community resilience in the face of adversity."