Examining TRANSCOM'S Role as a Lead Enabling Agency during Humanitarian and Disaster Relief Events Occuring Outside the Contiguous United States
Abstract
While forecasting the next conflict is fraught with uncertainty, the US Department of Defense (DOD) retains a robust logistics capability in its Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) in order to quickly respond to an array of global events. Humanitarian Logistics (HL) literature has repeatedly pronounced the importance of coordination, communication, and overall logistics capability to a successful disaster relief effort. However, a capabilities-to-execution gap exists in that TRANSCOM is not doctrinally positioned during a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR) operation to be in a command and control role where its unique capabilities can be fully utilized. Four recent DOD HA/DR cases and the HL literature are analyzed to identify critical capabilities in disaster response. These capabilities are compared to the unique and organic capabilities of TRANSCOM. A model for closing the capabilities-to-execution gap is presented in which TRANSCOM acts as a functional first responder in establishing key logistics, communications, and coordination networks prior to being subsumed by the traditional military command structure. Extension of this model to the civilian sector forms a basis for the extension of general HL theory.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 17, 2016
- Accession Number
- AD1054233
Entities
People
- Kazimir M. Kostrubala
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology