Civil-Military Medicine: On Dangerous Ground
Abstract
The interaction between armed forces and civilian organizations providing medical and health aid in insecure environments is increasing. Recent examples include a U.S.-led anti-insurgent Joint Task Force providing disaster relief after mud slides in the Philippines, the international response to the Asian tsunami, and operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Practitioners and scholars alike have noted that the rising incidence of civil-military medical assistance increases the need for better operational coordination and cooperation among the actors in the medical and health sector of humanitarian assistance. From January 29 to February 2, 2006, representatives from the U.S. Government, United Nations, and international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) participated in an educational game at the Center for Stabilization and Reconstruction Studies (CSRS) at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. The game focused on the operational challenges associated with providing medical and health assistance as part of disaster relief and development assistance in regions of conflict or instability. Three scenarios were used, and participants took the role of representing their respective medical communities: military, civilian government, international organization, and international nongovernmental organization. The first scenario focused on disaster relief in a post-conflict setting, the second posed a situation of a natural disaster occurring during ongoing combat operations, and the third concerned an epidemic of avian influenza among a mixed population of civilians and insurgent forces.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA489558
Entities
People
- Anne L. Clunan
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School