Transcript Document 7293440

Emerald Express 06-1 Brief
Military Support in
Humanitarian Assistance and
Disaster Relief (HA/DR)
• Conducted 14-15 February 2006 at
Quantico, VA
• Purpose was to review recent operational
experience in humanitarian assistance and
disaster relief (HA/DR) efforts to derive
insights and enhance military proficiency in
supporting these types of operations.
Participants
DOD
Joint Forces Command
Department of State
US Agency for International Development
Department of Homeland Security, New Orleans
US Coast Guard
National Defense University
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
State, Local governments
First Responders
Non-governmental Organizations
Red Cross
Areas of Interest
• DOD’s Relationship with federal, state, local, and
tribal governments and organizations
• The role of the US Marine Corps in domestic
operations, including the capabilities and training
of the MARFORSOUTH Staff in HA/DR
• The next steps in implementing the various
lessons learned by the forces participating in
HA/DR operations.
Operation Unified Assistance
• Indonesian tsunami relief effort
• 26 December 2004
• Earthquake 9.0 Richter scale struck off the west coast of
Northern Sumatra in the Indian Ocean.
• 289,000 killed
• 1.1 Million displaced
• Thousands of homes &
infrastructure destroyed.
Operation Unified Assistance (cont’d)
• Over 126,000 US military personnel joined in the
international relief effort.
• In addition 33 foreign governments, USAID Office of
Foreign Disaster, UN World Food program, World Health
Organization, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian
Affairs, Joint Logistics Center and over 150 NGOs
participated.
Operation Unified Assistance (cont’d)
• JTF 536 was established and deployed to
Utapao, Thailand. Commanded by CG III MEF
LtGen Blackman.
• Mission was “to provide assistance to the
governments of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand
and other affected nations to mitigate the effects
of the recent earthquake and tsunami in the
Indian ocean.”
International HA/DR Operations:
Key Take Aways
• Cultural knowledge is critical to effectively
interacting with host nations (HNs) and
Multinational (MN) partners
• HN should, in fact and perception, be leading
HA/DR operation.
• US Government’s goal should be improved HN
relief capabilities; NOT long-term relief by
assisting nations.
International HA/DR Operations:
Key Take Aways (cont’d)
• MN interaction and effectiveness is critical
• Make maximum use of accessible web-based
communications and unclassified information
• Military forces function in a supporting role to
Ambassador/Country Team
• Military – NGO relationships should stress complimentary,
not competing roles and capabilities
• An effective public affairs plan is essential to success.
Joint Task Force Katrina
• Hurricane Katrina Relief effort
• 29 August 2005
• Category 4 hurricane with wind speeds of 145 mph made
landfall 60 miles southwest of New Orleans, LA.
• Approximately 984 killed
• 1.3 Million residents
• 1.2 Million evacuated
• 120,000 remained behind
• 280,000 dwellings damaged
• 319,677 dwellings destroyed
Joint Task Force Katrina (cont’d)
• Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida
• 265 killed
• 737,940 displaced
• 1 million evacuated
• 33, 253 dwellings destroyed
• 29, 218 damaged
• Hurricane Katrina surpassed the Okeechobee hurricane
of 1928 as the deadliest storm in US history and the
deadliest in a century.
Joint Task Force Katrina (cont’d)
• USNORTHCOM established JTF Katrina based in Camp
Shelby, Mississippi
• Marine Forces (MARFOR) Katrina was commanded by
MGen O’Dell of the 4th Marine Division.
• Forces comprised of elements of the 11th and 24th MEU
and the MAG 42.
• Worked in coordination with National Guard Forces to
conduct HA/DR in order to assist local authorities with
recovery and stabilization efforts to save lives and
mitigate human suffering.
Joint Task Force Katrina (cont’d)
• Aviation element carried over 5,000 passengers, rescued
446, evacuated over 1400 and carried over one million
pounds of cargo in 745 sorties.
• Ground forces evacuated over 150, transported close to
two million pounds of cargo, delivered 1000 gallons of
fuel and recovered 23 remains.
Domestic HA/DR Operations:
Key Take Aways
• Need to maximize the level and scope of military support in
Defense Support to Civil Authority (DSCA) situations within
existing constraints; e.g., Titles 10, 14, 32, etc.
• Military forces are always in support per Posse Comitatus.
• Military brings major capabilities to domestic HA/DR
operations; e.g., security, logistics, communications
• Essential that military train to an “all hazards” scope of
incidents; e.g., chemical, biological, etc. as well as natural
disasters.
Domestic HA/DR Operations:
Key Take Aways (cont’d)
• Military training should emphasize interoperability at local,
state, and federal levels.
• Effective, accessible web-based communications are
critical to success.
• Sea-based operations proved highly effective, as did
MAGTF organization and capabilities.
• An effective public affairs plan is critical to success.
Additional Key Take Aways
• C2 = “Coordinate and Communicate” for HA/DR
operations.
• Early, frequent, and accurate assessments by trained
personnel are essential to success.
• Distribution is the greatest logistics problem in HA/DR
operations.
• An effective public affairs plan is critical to success.
Questions?
• Back up slides