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.

ParticipantsDOD

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