Joint Logistics: A Direct Approach to Effective U.S. Military Foreign Disaster Assistance
2012
Simmons, Michelle A
The unmatched joint logistics capability of the U.S. military is an invaluable asset to Foreign Disaster Assistance (FDA) operations. When the U.S. military arrives at the scene of the disaster, joint logistics is key to ensuring that the aid provided will meet the needs of the affected population. The primary role of the U.S. military is to support the lead government agency in charge of the FDA operation. Logistics support becomes the military's main effort. How well the U.S. military performs in this capacity, and how well its capabilities are used depends upon its ability to properly align and synchronize efforts with a multitude of participating organizations. This can be especially challenging when working in a chaotic environment in which success promotes stability and failure results in unfavorable international attention that can undermine foreign policy objectives. Glaring inefficiencies within the Department of Defense's (DoD) logistical pipeline have further compounded these challenges. This paper proposes that joint logistics, through a DoD-led coordinated management approach, can mitigate those challenges and ensure effective U.S. military involvement in future FDA operations.
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