Research for Humanitarian Assistance

This briefing presents results from a study undertaken by the Center for Naval Analyses (CNA) at the request of Marine Corps Combat Development Command (MCCDC) and I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF). The primary objective of the study is to identify and analyze some alternatives the Marine Corps might consider in order to improve its ability to conduct humanitarian assistance operations (HAOs). To meet this objective, we have been (1) examining ways of conducting HAOs; (2) identifying changes in organization, training and education, doctrine, and equipment and supplies that will help the marine Corps better prepare for HAOs; and (3) assessing the relative costs of these changes. This briefing focuses on identifying and analyzing the training and education requirements for Marines assigned to HAOs and suggests ways the Marine Corps might meet those requirements.

The Center for Naval Analyses conducted a study to identify and analyze alternative ways the Marine Corps might consider to improve its ability to conduct Humanitarian Assistance Operations (HAO). To achieve this objective we (1) examined how the military has conducted HAOs in the past; (2) identified alternative way the military can conduct these operations; and (3) assessed the relative costs of these alternatives in terms of changes in organizations, education and training, doctrine and documentation, and equipment and supplies. This paper addresses how the Marines and the military in general can improve their ability to plan an HAO. It is one of a series of papers on the U.S. Marine Corps and HAOs.

The purpose of military Humanitarian Assistance Operations (HAO) is to relieve the suffering of populations affected by a natural or man-made disaster. But the military rarely provides relief on its own throughout an operation. Civilian humanitarian relief organizations are often on the ground when the military deploys to an area, or they follow soon after. These relief organizations, many with significant resources and experienced staffs, specialize in providing relief. Whoever is in charge of an operation as a whole, the military and relief organizations usually develop the same relationship. The relief organizations provide the actual relief and the military supports their efforts by providing assets and conducting operations. This relationship make perfect sense, given the expertise of the relief workers and the resources of the military. To support these relief organizations, the military must coordinate its efforts with them. Past operations and exercises, however, have shown that military coordination with relief organizations has been vital, but difficult. This paper covers two types of HAOs -- those in response to a natural disaster and those that are a result of civil strife. The latter types of HAOs, which often cause, exacerbate, or do not allow the mitigation of starvation -- are called complex humanitarian emergencies.

This information memorandum provides a chronology of U. S. Marine Corps (USMC) humanitarian assistance and peace operations (HA/POs). The chronology documents 154 cases of Marine Corps HA/POs from 1811 through 1993. The information memorandum is part of a CNA study on the Marines in humanitarian assistance operations. The study is examining the Marine requirements in the areas of doctrine, organization, training, and equipment to prepare for and conduct HA/POs. These requirements are being identified through a variety of methods including (1) examining past HA/POs; (2) running humanitarian assistance seminar games; and (3) through examination of how other services and other nations approach HA/POs. The material in this information memorandum supports the study effort in several ways. First, the chronology presents a list of operations from which to choose the choice of case studies. Second, the analysis and chronology support the choice of case studies and scenarios by ensuring that the selected case studies and scenarios are representative of past operations and trends in the history of USMC HA/POs. Third, this chronology and analysis should provide one window for understanding what is--and is not--new for the USMC in conducting HA/POs.