Enhancing Joint Warfighting Readiness Through Conduct of Foreign Disaster Relief Operations
Abstract
Throughout the history of the United States military, the nation's leaders have used the armed forces to assist with overseas disaster relief operations, but it is only in the past 10 years that national strategic documents have identified these operations as a primary mission for the U.S. military. Critics have raised a number of concerns with the use of military forces for these operations, with division of training focu s as a dominant recurring theme. This paper argues that although some combat skill sets will degrade over a unit's extended employment for disaster relief operations, with proper doctrine and force assignment, other joint warfighting skills will be exercised and enhanced, generally resulting in an overall stronger warfighting readiness for the participating units. The research shows that although they do not employ all of the skill required for combat, disaster relief operations are complex contingency operations that provide unique training opportunities while furthering U.S. national interests.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 26, 2014
- Accession Number
- ADA600201
Entities
People
- Mark W. Mcculloch
Organizations
- National Defense University