MFR NARA- T8- Cleveland ATCC- Kerinko Tom- 10-2-03- 00155

Embed Doc
Copy Link
Readcast
Collections

CommentGo Back

Download

COMMISSIONSENSITIVEUNCLASSIFIED

MEMORANDUMFORTHERECORD

Event:TomKerinko,MilitaryOperationsSpecialistTypeofevent:Type:InterviewDate:October2,2003SpecialAccessIssues:NonePreparedby:LisaSullivanTeam:

8

Location:ClevelandAirTrafficControlCenterParticipants(Commission):DanaHyde,JohnFarmer,and

Lisa

SullivanParticipants(non-Commission):TomKerinkoandMichaelMcKinley,FAAattorney,GreatLakesRegionKerinkolIwasneveraskedtomakeastatementabouthisinvolvementintheeventson9-11.Investigationpackageofaccidentdeals

with

peopleoperationallyinvolved,whichKerinkomadeveryclear,wasnothisrolethitday.At

the

timeof9-11,hewasworkinginanofficeupstairs.Hehandledplans,contingencies,lettersofagreement,etc.Asthemilitaryoperationsspecialist,itwashisjob...odealwithmilitaryorganizationsthatcameintocontactwiththeCenter.In1967,hebeganwithFAAasatraineeattheCIancecontrollerforapproximatelyeightyears;In1981whenthecontrollersstriked,hewasasketocomeactoassist

In

tenuitarydivision.Eventually,heconvertedbackasfull-timemilitaryoperationsspecialist.

::/AttheCleyelandfacili~~,

IHeverifiedthatGregDukemanworkedmilitaryoperationsforFAAon9-11.HEdevelopsproceduresthatareusedoperationally.Henegotiatedwithhismilitarycontactson

training

areas(specialuseairspace)thattheywantedtouseforroutineactivities.,/-:

PrlortoheworkedwithBillAyers,hisNORADcounterpart.Theywouldcommunicateregardingchangesintheairspace(sizeandshape),ontopicssuchas.Y~strictedairspace,andalsoanyproblemsthatmayarisewithmilitaryaircraftin

"-(]evelandCenter.Onaverage,hewouldtalkto

Bill

everyweek

if

issues

were

pending.Theywereonlyintouchwhentherewasatopicathandoraproblem.

COMMISSIONSENSITIVEUNCLASSIFIED

COMMISSIONSENSITIVEUNCLASSIFIEDwashisunderstandingthatintheeventofahijacking,NORADwouldrequestvectorstotheaircraftandtheywouldputafighterinpositionbehindtheairplanetofollowitin.Heneverexperiencedthissituation.KerinkodidnotrememberanychangestohijackingpolicywithregardtotheFAAorthemilitaryduringhistimeatClevelandCenter.KerinkowasinvolvedwiththedevelopmentofStandardOperatingProceduresforthepersonshandlingselectedpositionsincludingweatherandmilitaryoperations.Theywouldrefertoprocedureshehelpedcreateiftheyhadquestions.HewouldgodowntothecontrolroomtohelpworkoutproblemswithproceduresinSOPs.Iffightersweregoingtogooutandtraininacertainairspace,hewouldn'tbeinvolved.KerinkotoldtheCommissionstaffthatNORADassignedanAirDefenseLiaisonOfficertoFAAregionalfacilitiestohelpworkoutproblems.ClevelandCenterisapartoftheGreatLakesRegion.Thereisanofficerfromeachofthearmedservices.Thepositionexistedbefore9-11andnothinghaschanged.hewasathisdoctor'sofficewhensawthatplaneshitonTV.Heleftthewaitingroomandwentimmediatelytothecenter.Everyonewasactingveryprofessionalbecausecontrollerswerecoveringeachposition.HEassistedthemilitaryoperationsperson,Dukeman,bypassinghiminformationthatcouldbepassedtoNORAD.Hewasverybusythatday.KerinkothoughtSCATANAmightbeenacted,soheandDukeman"startedtopreparethepackagesincaseitwasdeclared.neverwas,"saidKerinko.TheSupervisoronDutythatdayaskedhimtocalltorequestanaircrafttointerceptUA93.HemayormaynothavecalledNEADS.Hecalledtheweaponssection-operational.Theyscrambledandbroughtsomeoneup,accordingtoKerinko.Since9-11,hetriedtoreviewthetapesfromthatdaytorefreshhismemoryaboutwhomhetalkedtoandthesequenceofevents.HerelayedwhathethoughtwaspertinentfromthefloororfromtheTMUtoDukeman.Ifhewastoobusytoreceiveinformation,hemayhavecalledonthemilitaryDSNphone(allthelineswereextremelybusy).Hedoesn'trememberifhewasabletogetthroughornot.IfthemilitarytriedtogetthroughtheClevelandCenter,militarypersonnelwouldhavehadtheWatchSupervisor'snumber.Ifthatlinewasbusy,theywouldhavetriedthemilitaryoperationsdesk.KimWernikawasoneofthesupervisorsthatday.SowasCraigPass.Heisnotsurewhoelse.WhenaskedwhatinformationwaspassedtothemilitaryfromtheCenterdirectly,KerinkothoughttheCenterhadtoldNEADSaboutthemessageaboutabombonboardCOMMISSIONSENSITIVEUNCLASSIFIED

2

COMMISSIONSENSITIVEUNCLASSIFIEDCOMMISSIONSENSITIVEUNCLASSIFIEDflightUA93heardoverthefrequency.NEADSwantedtoknowhowtheCenterknewthat,andtheytoldthemithadbeenbroadcastoverthefrequency..KerinkothoughttheexcerptfromtheNEADStranscriptwithClevelandCenterwasmostlikelyDukeman'svoice.Hehadlistenedtothetapethedaybeforeinpreparationfortheinterview.OnthesectionofthetranscriptreferringtoDelta1989,Kerinkocouldnotprovideanymoreinformation.HedoesnotrememberconversationswithHuntresstakingplacethatday.KerinkosaidthatherecallsthefightershadsomecommunicationsproblemsoncetheywerescrambledoverClevelandthatday.ActiveairdefensescramblesareturnedovertoNORADassoonbyATCassoonaspossible.Kerinkosaidthefighterscouldnottalktootheraircraft.Therearethreefrequencies,noneofwhichworked.Theyhadtoholdintheirpositions.TheFAAgavelocatorinformationtothefighters.ATCusesfixedradiodistancetolocateaircraft,whereasthemilitaryrelyonlatitudesandlongitudetodeterminelocationsofotherplanes.Thisismoredifficultforthecontrollerstopicture.On9-11,NORADwasaskingforthe"latandlongs,"saidKerinko.Kerinkosaidhewasnotinvolvedinanywaywiththegroundingoftheaircraftthatday,nordidhespeaktothecommandcenteroranyoneintheWashingtonoperationscenterthatday.HedoesnotrecallspecificallyiftherewereanymilitaryaircraftaroundUA93whenitwentdown.Hesaidtherehaven'tbeentoomanychangesattheCentersince9-11.Now,themilitaryhandbookissignedoffonbyDODandFAA.wasupdatedtocoverhijackandscrambleprocedures;developedmoreairspaceforthemilitary'suse;themilitaryexercisesaremuchmorefrequentandFAAinvolvementhasincreasinglyparticipatedinmilitaryexercises.Theflightpathforamilitaryexerciseispredetermined.Acodeisgiventhatitisastolenorhijackedplane;NORADscrambles;expeditethemovementfromthegroundtothetargetofconcernandthemilitarybringsthetargetintodesignated-useairspacetoresolvetheexercise.Throughtheexercise,theFAAcontrollerprovidesnormalassistance-FAAcontrollerisnowsupposedtoexpedite(givehimastraightpath)inordertoassistthefighter.Priorto9-11,fighterscrambleswentdirectlyintospecialuseairspaceandhadnobearingonregularairtraffic.Scrambleaircraftwerealwaysgivenprioritytreatment.

of 00

Leave a Comment