Chapter 5

MILITARY AND CIVIL DEFENSE ASSETS APPLICATIONS IN DISASTER RELIEF

This Chapter discusses three major areas where MCDA could be effectively employed in humanitarian and disaster relief operations. These are: command structure, functions and capabilities. Also discussed in the MCDA Register of Capabilities and the Multinational Service Package Methodology.

5.1 General Summary on The Formation of Military Command Structures in HADRO

5.1.1 Differing National Military Command Structures. Basic command structures, missions and finite military capabilities, tend to create military force structures that have similarities and provide a basis for commonality. These commonalties focus around organizational structure, problem solving, applying solutions with available resources and capabilities. Generally, military forces are divided into air, land and sea forces. Each force adapted to operate within its respective environment. The level of development in each of these environments is a reflection on national policies, and how they are translated into military strategy and resource allocation. For the purposes of this manual, military forces are divided into services based on the three environments mentioned, air - Air Force, land - Army Forces, sea - Naval Forces (to include Marines). Subordinate headquarters elements with their respective forces from each of the services serve as service components in joint operations.

5.1.2 Joint Operations. Joint military operations incorporate two or more services from the same country. Usually there is a joint command structure, a joint mission or purpose for that command structure, as well as component command structures to direct operations in their respective environments. Well defined plans and operating procedures create unity of effort linking strategy, to the operational and tactical levels. The performance of joint military operations requires a team effort in order to synchronize service capabilities. "Jointness" reduces friction by maintaining focus, addressing issues such as command and control, common logistics, transportation, interoperability, etc., with the intent to resolve them before the execution of a mission.

5.1.3 Combined Operations. When military forces of more than one nation operate together it is called combined operations. Combined operations are also called multinational operations.

5.1.4 Multinational Operations. Multinational operations are combined operations that are conducted within the structure of an alliance or coalition. An alliance is a result of formal agreements between two or more nations for broad, long-term objectives. A coalition is an ad hoc arrangement between two or more nations for common action. It is in this environment that most international humanitarian and disaster relief operations will occur.

5.1.5 Lead Nation - Predominance of Forces. A lead nation within a coalition or alliance is usually the nation which has the predominance of forces operating in the disaster area of operations. The designated lead nation could change through the course of the operation. Usually the lead nation possesses the command and control structures needed to integrate smaller military forces. This integration is essential when military operations of any nature are needed to accomplish a specific mission or campaign. Command and control leads to the accomplishment of the mission and is essential to multinational force operations providing common purpose, missions, synchronized objectives, tasks, and a viable concept of operations. Unity of command under the lead nation concept should be considered in planning a task force for HADRO. The lead nation should be identified in deliberate plans and during crisis action planning included in the concept of operations and forwarded to the nations for approval (See Chapter 4). In most cases the lead nation will be the Receiving State or host country.

5.1.6 Forming a Combined Joint Task Force. Not all HADRO missions require large command and control structures. However, whenever HADRO requires military assistance a Combined Joint Task Force (CJTF) or its equivalent, is required to establish command and control to perform critical planning, and execution functions in order to establish unity of effort with deployed forces within a multinational coalition, and the Affected State. Concept development during the crisis should clearly define who is to form the CJTF, timing, planning and execution. This is facilitated with selection of a lead nation. On order, a CJTF is stood up to begin planning and prepare for execution (See Figure 5-1). Ideally, the formation of a CJTF would be built under the existing command structure of the Receiving State. Augmentation may be all that is required to fortify the existing command and control structure of the Receiving State. The idea here is to establish only what is required to integrate the deployed MCDA with that of the host country in order to provide them the leverage needed to overcome the challenges of the crisis.

Figure 5-1, Generic Combined Joint Task Force Headquarters

5.1.7 Concept of Operations. In HADRO, a plan of action (which includes the concept of operations) is created by the UN Desk/Crisis Support Team (CST) to give an overall picture of the operation and to provide clarity of purpose. Promulgation of the coordinated plan represents participating states approval of the concept of operations and provides the basis for support planning and execution.

5.1.8 Combined Joint Task Force Support Planning. Support planning at the multinational operational level occurs after the formation of a CJTF. The CJTF translates the concept of operations promulgated by the UN into operational and tactical level operations that achieve the mission stated in the UN's plan of action. This is done by ensuring that the tasks - both specified and implied - are executed by the units deployed for that purpose. Obviously, flexibility in accomplishing the mission is necessary. However, to avoid inadvertent modification of the mission, the commander must exercise discipline to ensure that the plan under development adheres to the intent of the original mission and does not stray into areas that are not approved by participating states.

5.1.9 Command Relationships. There are three lines of communication (LOC's) that must be considered in the formation of command relationships. These LOC's are: international (through the UN), national, and operational (See Figure 5-2).

International command relationships maintain strategic linkage with the original mission or mandate. Channels of communication between the UN and the CJTF form the basis of international command relationships. The LOC's between the UN Command Center (DHA Relief Coordination Branch (RCB)) and the CJTF must be kept clear and precise. The coordination of other international organizations into HADRO can occur through the civil-military operations coordination center (CMOCC)- a subordinate center under the CJTF Commander or through UNDHA's On Site Operations Coordination Centre (OSOCC). All official communications between UNDHA/RCB and the CJTF would proceed using the established international LOC.

Nations providing MCDA to HADRO maintain national command and control over their own assets. National command channels include situational reporting and logistics lines of support to sustain its forces in order to perform their operational mission at all levels.

Operational command relationships are those exercised by the commander of the CJTF in the performance of his mission mandate. Tasks at all levels are prioritized, and orders are given and received to accomplish mission objectives under the operational lines of communication.

5.1.10 National Support Groups. Nations deploying forces provide their own administrative and logistics support. This can be accomplished through the establishment of National Support Groups (NSG's). National Support Groups administer personnel, legal, medical, and logistics support for their national forces. Common support for services should be coordinated within the CJTF to prevent competition for scarce resources by participating forces for host nation resources.

Figure 5-3, MCDA Functions Matrix

5.2 MCDA Functions

Service components (Maritime, Land, and Air) cannot operate independently when performing HADRO. Cooperation between each of the services must be integrated into the overall operation. This is done by jointly performing common or integrated functions throughout the full spectrum of operations to meet mission objectives and tasks. The following functions are applicable to MCDA as it is applied to humanitarian and disaster relief operations; and these are the functions that MCDA can bring to the crisis when organized to perform International Disaster Relief Assistance (IDRA).

5.2.1 Command and Control

5.2.1.1 Assess Situation: Assess the disaster relief situation and the overall environment within which military operations are being conducted. This assessment requires personnel with skills capable of understanding the social and cultural environment of the disaster area, both the military and non-military aspects of the disaster area, the relief agencies (Affected State's, international and local relief agencies, etc.) being supported, and the populace. When possible, site surveys should be performed.

5.2.1.2 Review/Revise Plans and Documentation: Review/revise all strategic, operational and tactical plans, documentation, commander's guidance, operating instructions, standing operating procedures (SOP's) and any other

written information (military or non-military) pertaining to the area of operations in order to identify and understand applicable guidance.

5.2.1.3 Obtain/Disseminate Rules of Engagement (ROE): Obtain, interpret and clarify rules of engagement (ROE). Translate ROE into a usable format for widest dissemination to the lowest possible level.

5.2.1.4 Determine Actions: Identify, analyze, and compare alternative courses of action (COA's) and select those most appropriate.

5.2.1.4 Tailor the Force: Select forces appropriate for successful accomplishment of the identified mission. Area/language expertise may be required.

5.2.1.5 Direct, Lead, and Control: Direct, lead, and control forces operating in a disaster relief environment. Various operations may require directing differing types, sizes, and national forces as well as elements of predominant national forces or Host Nation agencies. Military forces fulfilling a supporting role may temporarily come under control of a civilian agency. Operations in remote/austere environments and under the control of paramilitary and/or internal security forces may come into play.

5.2.1.6 Manage Communications Process: Plan for and manage communication support to higher, lower, and adjacent forces. In coalition operations, provide timely command and control while managing the requirement to communicate with dissimilar forces and dissimilar equipment. Management of data handling systems must also be accomplished.

5.2.1.7 Provide Strategic Communications: Ensure proper communications connectivity to conduct horizontal and vertical reporting, coordination, and headquarters interaction at the strategic level. Recognize frequency requirements to coordinate with multiple civilian and military agencies at multiple levels.

5.2.1.8 Provide Operational Communications: Ensure proper communications connectivity in order to conduct horizontal and vertical reporting coordination and headquarters interaction at the operational level. Recognize frequency requirements to coordinate with multiple civilian and military agencies at multiple levels. Be prepared to support small teams located at great distances from higher headquarters.

5.2.1.9 Provide Tactical Communications: Insure proper communications connectivity to conduct horizontal and vertical reporting coordination and headquarters interaction at the tactical level. Be prepared to support small teams located great distances from higher headquarters.

5.2.2 Military Information

5.2.2.1 Collect: Use both human and technical collection means to obtain information necessary to operate in a disaster environment. This requires additional emphasis on human collection means and emphasizes high levels of language and area expertise. Requirements include obtaining information on the environment, the relief capabilities currently employed in the area, and the population being supported.

5.2.2.2 Process: After collection, properly display raw data in a usable format for analysis teams.

5.2.2.3 Analyze: Analysts must consider the social, psychological, political, economic, and military variables associated with the disaster environment. Analysis must serve to answer questions posed by coalition as well as national commanders. Information gaps must be identified for future collection efforts.

5.2.2.4 Disseminate: Due to the unique command and control relationships normally associated with disaster relief operations, tactical elements at the lowest levels will often require (ground truth) strategic information while national level users will require tactical information. Additionally, coalition and interagency efforts will often mandate information sharing at all levels.

5.2.2.5 Store Information: Solutions to storage requirements must consider the coalition nature of most operations in disaster relief operations. Small units are often operating at scattered locations detached from their parent unit, each requiring storage capability. Small units operating together at single locations may require different storage solutions due to their unique information needs.

5.2.2.6 Track Weather/Climatology Information: Collect, analyze, disseminate, and store weather/climatology/hydrographic data as it pertains to operations within the disaster relief area of operations. Temperatures, winds, rainfall, illumination, etc., can seriously affect operations at all levels.

5.2.3 Information Campaign

5.2.3.1 Educate/Inform Population: Coordinate and conduct informational efforts to educate and inform the civilian population. These efforts should be fully coordinated with ongoing disaster relief information efforts and should be approved by the Host Nation.

5.2.3.2 Facilitate Media Operations: Provide organizational and physical support for media operations. This includes assistance to the Host Nation with informational programs to develop capabilities to inform and influence the affected population.

5.2.3.3 Provide Command Information: Provide support to command information programs that service the overall international relief operation.

5.2.4 Force Protection

5.2.4.1 Physical Security: Establish physical security measures. Recognize frequent requirements to provide security for a small detached force as well as lines of communication and supply line security. When applicable, facility design should also be based on the threat. Physical security arrangements must be precoordinated with, and approved by the Affected State.

5.2.5 Force Sustainment (generally a national responsibility)

5.2.5.1 Supply: Supply rations, fuel, equipment, etc.

5.2.5.2 Maintenance: Repair and maintain equipment regularly.

5.2.5.3 Provide Field Services: Provide field services (food, clothing, bedding, laundry, etc.) to national forces and to coalition forces as funded.

5.2.5.4 Provide Personnel Services Support: Provide personnel services to national MCDA forces such as finance, chaplain, legal, etc.

5.2.5.5 Provide Medical/Veterinary Services Support: Provide medical, dental, and veterinary support to coalition forces.

5.2.5.6 Provide Mapping, Charting, Geodesy Services Support: Ensure maps and charts are available in appropriate coverage and proper amounts for use in the particular area. Provide appropriate geodesy data to support operations for disaster relief operations.

5.2.5.7 Provide Headquarters Construction Support: Provide construction, restoration, supplies, tools, procedures, and technical expertise to headquarters elements in support of Host Nation/Coalition Forces in HADRO.

5.2.6 Liaison

5.2.6.1 Multinational-Host/Relief Agencies: Provide liaison for Multinational and Host Nation/Relief Agencies.

5.2.6.2 Intra-national: Provide intra-national liaison with military and civilian relief efforts. (These are liaisons between the same military and non-military relief agencies.)

5.2.6.3 Inter-level: Where necessary provide liaison to strategic, operational and tactical levels.

5.2.7 Advisory Assistance

5.2.7.1 Provide Public Affairs/Info: Advise and assist Host Nation Public Affairs personnel in development of internal and external public information efforts.

5.2.7.2 Provide Legal Services: Advise and assist Host Nation/Coalition judiciary and law enforcement officials in internal and external legal affairs.

5.2.7.3 Provide Internal Security: Advise and assist Host Nation/Coalition in developing requirements for and establishing security from internal threats.

5.2.7.4 Provide External Security: Advise and assist Host Nation/Coalition in developing requirements for and establishing security from external threats.

5.2.7.5 Perform Counterdrug Operations: Advise and assist Host Nation/Coalition in efforts to stop the manufacture of drugs, as well as, the flow of illegal drugs within and out of their borders.

5.2.8 Equipping

5.2.8.1 Determine Equipment Requirements: Perform analysis to determine which equipment will fulfill mission requirements. Plan for simplest version of equipment that can be easily purchased, operated, supported and maintained by Host Nation/Coalition after redeployment.

5.2.8.2 Obtain Equipment: Identify sources of equipment that must be acquired to aid the Host Nation/Coalition involved in HADRO. Coordinate with Coalition forces to obtain appropriate MCDA.

5.2.8.3 Provide Equipment: Ensure Donor States provide equipment to aid Host Nation/Coalition efforts to successfully accomplish HADRO. Ensure legal ramifications are considered and equipment meets appropriate UN provisioning requirements.

5.2.8.4 Provide Equipment Support: Ensure the Host Nation/Coalition has the proper logistics tail necessary to employ and maintain equipment provided to aid in efforts to successfully accomplish HADRO.

5.2.9 Intercultural Communications

5.2.9.1 Language Skills: Provide capability to communicate with non-English speaking populace, as well as Host Nation/Coalition and Relief Agencies.

5.2.9.2 Area Study: make efforts to understand the social, political, religious, economic and military environment surrounding affecting the disaster relief operation.

5.2.10 Interoperability

5.2.10.1 Provide Supplies: Ensure supplies provided by the coalition, are usable or adaptable for Coalition Forces, the Host Nation, and applicable relief agencies.

5.2.10.2 Provide Equipment: Ensure that equipment provided by the coalition, is usable or adaptable for Coalition Forces, the Host Nation, and applicable relief agencies.

5.2.10.3 Provide Procedures: Provide written/verbal guidance, instruction, procedures in a format usable or adaptable for Coalition Forces, the Host Nation, and applicable relief agencies.

5.2.11 Sustainment Engineering

5.2.11.1 Perform New Construction: Accomplish new construction in support of Host Nation/Coalition efforts that directly contribute to the success of HADRO. This may include the construction of roads, railroads, bridges, airfields, and other civil-military facilities. Construct waterworks, telephone, transportation, sewage treatment, hydroelectric, and other public/Host Nation utility systems as required.

5.2.11.2 Perform Restoration: Accomplish restoration in support of Host Nation/Coalition efforts that directly contribute to the success of HADRO. Restore destroyed or unrepaired civil-military facilities, public utility systems, water works, telephone, transportation, sewage treatment, hydroelectric, etc.

5.2.11.3 Provide Construction Support to Host Nation: Provide construction supplies, tools, procedures, and technical expertise necessary to aid Host Nation/Coalition relief efforts.

5.2.12 Transport Services

5.2.12.1 Provide Transport Management: Manage inventory control, movement control, and planning requirements for transportation services for the disaster relief area of operations.

5.2.12.2 Perform Terminal Operations: Establish terminal operations to receive, warehouse, load, and distribute equipment, fuel, and other materiel.

5.2.12.3 Lift: Provide for movement of cargo, equipment, fuel, personnel, etc. by surface (land and sea) and air.

5.2.13 Health Services

5.2.13.1 Provide Medical/Dental Treatment: Provide medical/dental treatment to Host Nation civilian population and as prearranged for coalition military forces assigned to the disaster area of operations.

5.2.13.2 Evacuate Casualties: Provide evacuation support to Host Nation/Coalition civil and military casualties in the disaster area of operations.

5.2.13.3 Perform Preventive Medicine: Provide preventive medicine support for Host Nation/Coalition civil and military communities.

5.2.13.4 Provide Vet Services: Provide veterinary services to Host Nation/Coalition civil and military communities.

5.2.14 Mobilization Assistance

5.2.14.1 Provide Organizational Support: Mobilize the population in support of the Government of the Receiving State. Provide organizational assistance in political-military mobilization efforts. This may include specific support to the local emergency management authority (LEMA).

5.2.14.2 Provide Public Affairs/Information Support: Provide informational assistance in political-military mobilization in the disaster relief operation.

5.2.15 Resources Control

5.2.15.1 Control Materiel: Provide materiel control measures to assist Host Nation/Coalition in efforts to maintain positive control over equipment, supplies, etc.

5.2.15.2 Control Terrain: Provide terrain control measures in order to assist Host Nation/Coalition forces in controlling the territory and lines of communication within the disaster area of operations.

5.2.15.3 Control Population: Provide population control measures in order to assist Host Nation/Coalition in maintaining positive control of the general populace.

5.2.16 Security Services

5.2.16.1 Protect Economic Infrastructure: Take necessary measures to assist the Host Nation in protecting the economic infrastructure. Population must be able to function economically (i.e. internal/external trade must be protected, banks/markets must be accessible, etc.).

5.2.17 Deployment

5.2.17.1 Assemble: Provide notification to forces to prepare for immediate deployment and movement in support of operations in HADRO. Notification should include a staging location and time when forces are to assemble with all appropriate personnel, supplies, and equipment required to accomplish the mission. Units should check their equipment to ensure proper markings and customs adherence. Personnel should be properly briefed regarding the mission, culture and customs as well as legal documents required for deployment.

5.2.17.2 Stage: Marshal all forces at the staging location and prepare them for transport.

5.2.17.3 Transport: Load forces, supplies and equipment on appropriate conveyance and transport to disaster site via ground, air, or sea.

5.2.17.4 Emplacement: Emplace forces, supplies and equipment at appropriate beddown locations.

5.2.18 Funding

5.2.18.1 Identify Funding Sources: Identify resources for operation. Management of organization and resources should begin at the earliest stages of planning. Ensure, where a coalition of forces are using common resources, that provisions are arranged for fiscal tracking and billing.

5.2.18.2 Contracting Support: Identify and plan for requisite contracting support to enable timely acquisition of commodities/supplies as required. Appropriate contracting management activities should be established between Coalition Forces.

5.3 Military Capability Categories

In general terms, military capabilities can be divided into three force categories: Combat, combat support and combat service support.

5.3.1 Combat Forces are those forces that engage an enemy - either directly or indirectly. Combat forces would not be used for HADRO unless approved by the UN Security Council for peacekeeping operations. Examples of the types of units that fit into this category are: infantry, armor, cavalry (air and armored), and aviation. Naval and Air Force units capable of providing direct combat engagements should also be included here.

5.3.2 Combat Support Forces includes fire support and operational assistance provided to combat elements. This includes artillery, air defense artillery, engineering, military police, signal, military intelligence, and chemical. Air Force combat support is activity that creates and sustains warfighting capabilities by organizing, training, and equipping aerospace systems for deployment and employment

5.3.3 Combat Service Support Forces normally provide assistance to sustain combat forces primarily in the fields of administration and logistics. It includes administrative services, chaplain services, civil affairs, food services, finance, legal services, maintenance, medical services, supply, transportation and other logistical services.

5.3.4 MCDA for HADRO. MCDA for HADRO would include non-combat elements from the combat support and combat service support categories. From the combat support force category capabilities such as signal (communications), military intelligence (information), engineering, and chemical (decontamination) could easily be applied to disaster relief operations.

5.3.4.1 Of the three categories, combat service support forces would provide the bulk of capabilities supporting HADRO. Although initially trained to support combat operations, the logistical and administrative support needed to deploy, receive, employ and redeploy MCDA fall within this category. These non-combat forces provide day-to-day support to combat forces of Member States. Disaster relief missions supported by combat service support units would approximate that of their wartime missions and would, when employed in HADRO, enhance their military readiness while providing needed assistance in humanitarian relief.

5.4 Summary of Maritime, Land and Air Capabilities that would apply to HADRO

5.4.1 Maritime. Maritime forces can be employed to conduct a variety of assistance and relief operations along littoral regions where they can be quickly diverted to disaster sites.

5.4.1.1 Maritime forces are uniquely mobile. The sea allows for the deployment of maritime forces without significant political restrictions. They can be moved and positioned without many of the constraints of geographic boundaries encountered on land or by air. This gives maritime forces the mobility and flexibility which are particularly useful for HADRO.

5.4.1.2 With their integrated logistics support, maritime forces are usually self sustaining. Ships carry their own supplies when they deploy and can remain on station for extended periods of time with minimal external support. This self-sufficiency adds staying power in applying MCDA in managing crises over long periods and in regions where external support is difficult to acquire.

5.4.1.3 Maritime forces can serve as staging platforms for distributing relief supplies using logistic's over-the-shore capabilities. Maritime use of air assets give it the capability to establish logistics LOC's to littoral disaster sites within its reach. This capability also provides for extending sea ports, piers, and POL transfers to and from shore. This capability is particularly useful when piers at major seaports have been damaged and are needed in the delivery of humanitarian relief as well as in the re-establishment of vital economic lifelines.

5.4.1.4 Maritime forces can:

Provide a platform for a multinational combined joint task force headquarters.
Ships employ their embarked boats and helicopters on search and rescue (SAR) operations, supplemented by maritime patrol aircraft for wide-area surveillance/reconnaissance. These same assets, especially amphibious units, could be used to ferry critical supplies to victims in disaster areas.
Ships used to provide emergency electrical power and potable water where and when conditions permit mooring in the vicinity of the disaster.
Medical support available from larger naval vessels, as well as from especially designed hospital ships.
Movements and transportation supporting military sealift.
Medical care, up to and including, fully staffed surgical units embarked in hospital ships.
Naval explosive ordnance disposal (EOC) units.
Search and rescue ships with embarked helicopters and specially trained forces provide an on-scene commander with extended SAR operations capabilities.
Engineering and infrastructure support.
Amphibious forces - on-station amphibious forces capable of rapid employment in a variety of operations which might include humanitarian aid missions.
Command and control to include communications and airspace management.

5.4.2 Land. Land forces are characterized by their durability, wide breadth of capabilities and rugged adaptability to adverse environmental conditions; all of which are particularly useful in HADRO.

5.4.2.1 Land forces are usually composed of combat, combat support and combat service support forces. For purposes of MCDA in HADRO, only certain elements in combat support and combat service support are eligible for use.

5.4.2.2 Land forces are fully capable of sustaining operations for an indefinite period of time in the harshest conditions. Land force infrastructure usually deploys organically with specific capabilities that have a direct impact on their ability to conduct HADRO. This includes:

Land based CJTF HQ (Command and Control).
Field laundries and showers.
Field kitchens and bakeries,
Engineering assistance to repair transport networks and critical lifelines, clear rubble and build refugee centers.
Emergency road repair and reconstruction.
Emergency bridge construction (including ferries).
Mobile water purification equipment.
Truck transport including all-terrain vehicles.
Helicopters to conduct SAR operations and to ferry critical supplies to victims in disaster areas.
Maintenance units with special capabilities for fabrication, recovery, clothing and canvas repair, and repair of electrical and mechanical machines.
POL, supply and distribution.
Chemical, nuclear, biological identification, and decontamination units.
Explosive ordnance disposal.
Mobile emergency communications.
Mobile and highly capable medical facilities to include medical assistance from basic first aid to the establishment of field hospitals.

5.4.3 Air. Air forces come packaged with a number of capabilities that are aptly suited for HADRO. Some of the primary capabilities include:

Strategic airlift which can move personnel, supplies and equipment to and from the disaster site. In-flight refueling gives airlift aircraft an expanded global range.
Tactical airlift utilized to move personnel, supplies and equipment to remote areas normally inaccessible to ground transport. Such lift can be provided by both fixed and rotary wing aircraft. Tactical aircraft can airdrop relief supplies using a variety of techniques. Specific tactical air movement capabilities include:
- - roll-on/roll-off requiring virtually no ground handling,
- - short take off and landing,
- - operations on unprepared, austere landing sites (dirt strips),
- - airdrops of personnel and cargo from high, medium and low altitudes. For airdrop of relief goods, special low-level delivery techniques (15-50 feet) have been developed, and
- - fast and flexible reconfiguration of aircraft to match virtually all movement tasks.
The evacuation of sick and wounded by aircraft offering rapid transit to sophisticated hospitals and treatment centers.
Aircraft can move key personnel such as assessment teams, medical personnel and technical specialists to the scene of the disaster in a matter of hours.
Specially equipped air platforms can track threatening weather systems, nuclear fallout and crop threatening insects.
Observation and reconnaissance platforms can respond quickly to provide rapid feedback over an extremely wide area.
Air traffic control teams can operate within the disaster area.
Mobile airlift cells can manage and coordinate airlift on a worldwide basis, even under unfavorable and austere conditions.
Air observation platforms with radio links to ground forces can provide direction to help locate survivors or to transmit damage reports.
Military cargo handlers are specifically trained to handle various types of cargo, including hazardous cargo items, and are able to work with material handling equipment.
Ground crews can maintain and repair aircraft under field (even hostile) conditions.
Military pilots are experienced in flying into areas/airfields which lack sophisticated ground navigational equipment and which may require resorting to visual flight rules.
Space assets - to include global positioning, communications, and weather satellites, extend coverage to the disaster area and support to rescue operations.

Figure 5-4, Resourcing MCDA

5.5 Multinational Service Packaging Methodology

5.5.1 Purpose of multinational service packages (MSP's). The purpose of this force packaging methodology is to develop an integrated MCDA capability tailored to the emergency using preidentified National Service Modules (NSM's). The methodology advocates that each disaster is assessed in total. The Affected State's internal capabilities along with other public, private, international and non-governmental organizations become the initial safety net for providing HADRO. The secondary safety net is MCDA. The planning components of Multinational Service Packages (MSP's) are the NSM's, organized in accordance with an approved concept of operations. MCDA in Multinational Service Packages are normally not developed for long-term HADRO. As mentioned in Chapter 4, specific endpoints are incorporated into the UN Plan of Action prepared to support the humanitarian and disaster relief mission.

5.5.2 National Service Modules (NSM's). National Service Modules represent the basic building blocks for organizing an MSP. These building blocks include:

5.5.2.1 Capabilities. As mentioned, each of the services within a national military structure can provide significant capabilities needed to carry out the functions of HADRO. The NSM represents single or a combination of such capabilities.

5.5.2.2 Services. National Service Modules may include a suite of services that do not require actual deployment of military assets. These suites may include in transit support packages prepared by Assisting States to include fuel, water, and other logistics and personnel services. Other types of NSM's that fit into this category include strategic and tactical lift, use of communications and space assets.

Figure 5-5, Rapid Crisis Response

5.5.3 Standardized database. National Service Modules require a standardized database if the full potential of their capabilities are to be effectively used in planning and execution. The database format can be adjusted for NSM's providing both services and capabilities. The database format includes a

5.5.3.1 Mission statement - describing the capability or service.

5.5.3.2 Manpower list - describing number of personnel and skills.

5.5.3.3 Equipment listing - describing major pieces of equipment or containers, and their movement characteristics. For example: container name, total weight in tons, bulk weight, oversized weight, outsized weight, and cargo that is not transportable by air. The movement characteristics would also include shipping weights for sealift. Hazardous cargo should also be included in this listing.

5.5.3.4 Constraints. Constraints include operational limitations as well as national constraints in the employment of the module.

5.5.4 Donor State commitment. National Service Modules listed in the UNDHA MCDA Register do not commit the Donor State to their release for HADRO. They are notional until approved and do not have specific unit sourcing data for detailed execution planning.

5.6 Standby National Service Modules (SNSM's)

5.6.1 Standby NSM's Rapid Reaction Capability. The standby National Service Module is a variant of the NSM previously mentioned. Standby NSM's are national capabilities designed to respond quickly to sudden onset disasters or humanitarian emergencies. Reaction time is within the first 24 hours (also called the "Golden Day") after the onset of a disaster and can offset the high mortality rates usually occurrant within 72 hours after the disastrous event. Standby NSM's require more upfront deliberate planning, Member State commitments, and unit readiness, if they are to deploy within the first 24 hours.

5.6.2 Life-saving Capabilities. Standby NSM's could consist of life saving capabilities such as: search and rescue, command and control, strategic air and sea lift coordination centers, and supplies and material resources, etc. The initial deployment of standby NSM's could provide the advance elements for larger follow-on multinational service packages or be sufficient, in the case of smaller emergencies to needs mitigate specific aspects caused by the disaster.

5.6.3 Multiple Standby NSM's. Where more than one standby NSM is deployed from different nations combined operations are coordinated with the Affected State or through the deployment of essential command and control NSM's to ensure proper command, control and coordination within the international relief framework mentioned in paragraph 5-1. These NSM's operate within the Multinational Service Packaging Concept and can be easily tailored to the crisis.

5.7 Summary

The purpose of this Chapter was to address the command structures, military functions and capabilities of MCDA that could be used in humanitarian and disaster relief operations. Stressed was the need for proper planning and approval as well as command relationships. In addition, more information was provided describing the use of multinational service packages in deliberate and crisis planning and the standby NSM which would require greater pre-approval by the Donor States for use in short notice emergency situations.