The Military Partnerships: Humanitarian and Support Role

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Table of Contents

Introduction
NATO Response Force (NRF)
The National Guard
The Military Involvement
Conclusion
References

Introduction

Unfortunately, natural and human-made disasters may occur every day worldwide and take thousands of human lives. Since responding to such catastrophes is challenging and requires a certain plan of actions in which all departments have their tasks but act together, it is essential to know how this structure works. Being aware of every department’s responsibilities and their interfaces with other support sectors may lessen any confusion when an actual disaster occurs. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the humanitarian and support role of the military partnerships and the NATO command structure, involvement of the National Guard and military branches, and some vital functions of the armed services.

NATO Response Force (NRF)

The NATO Response Force (NRF) is a special multinational force that is considered technologically advanced and eminently prepared to be rapidly deployed by the Alliance. The core goal of NRF is always to be able to ensure a quick military response to any emerging disaster and for all crisis response operations, including collective defense (NATO response force, 2018). For example, in 2005, it launched a major humanitarian operation to help the Pakistani government after a severe earthquake (Reis, 2018). The support provided by the NATO Response Force is invaluable.

Command Structure of NRF

The two main elements of the command structure of NATO include Allied Command Transformation headed by the Supreme Allied Commander Transformation and Allied Command Operations headed by the Supreme Allied Commander Europe. The first strategic command’s responsibility is to lead and control the military adaptation of the Alliance (NATO response force, 2018). It coordinates national efforts in ensuring interoperability and coherence, as well as assists the Command Structure itself to effectively support, control, and command all military tasks and operations (NATO response force, 2018). Allied Command Transformation increases NATO posture’s credibility and readiness and makes the transition to conflict and crisis as stable and secure as possible.

The purpose of the Allied Command Operations is to plan and execute all military operations that belong to NATO. By performing at three overlapping levels, namely, tactical, operational, and strategic, this department contributes greatly to Allied security and defense, which is its overall responsibility (NATO response force, 2018). It restores and preserves Alliance members’ security, safeguards freedom and safety of economic lifelines and the seas, and maintains Alliance territory’s integrity.

The National Guard

The National Guard is composed of National Guard military units and members located in every state, Washington DC, and United States territories. This is a special reserve component of the U.S. Armed Forces that serve a dual federal and state mission. Though it is generally a state agency, America’s president can mobilize its units if the national armed forces require assistance (Gambino, 2014). There are and army national and air national guards in each state, and the governor serves as commander-in-chief (Gambino, 2014). Typically, the forces involve engineering, aviation, medical, and military units. The National Guard is the United States’ miracle and one of the best achievements. It provides invaluable help and support before and after natural and man-made disasters that are extremely severe and cannot be addressed properly by local authorities.

Involvement of the National Guard in Disasters Response

The National Guard is generally not the first sector to be called out to address a catastrophe. Only in case the disaster event’s size is extremely large and thus overwhelms the capabilities and resources of local responders and exceeds local government’s capacity, the National Guard’s help is required (Gambino, 2014). The county executive or mayor then turns to the governor for assistance in responding to the event and helping the population recover. According to Gambino (2014), “the governor is not required to notify the U.S. president of the administration before calling the National Guard into service” (para. 6). In turn, the governor may activate National Guard personnel to State Active Duty and control and command Airmen and Soldiers addressing either Homeland Defense missions or human-made or natural disasters.

Some Examples of the National Guard Involvement

In the history of the United States, there were several disasters so powerful that conventional forces could not cope with them. As mentioned above, in such cases, the National Guard takes the responsibility of helping people and eliminating the catastrophe. For instance, its participation in response to Hurricane Katrina is considered the National Guard’s “finest hour,” and millions of people are still thankful for the support and help they received during that horrible time (Gambino, 2014). It was the Guard’s most considerable relief and rescue effort that involved approximately fifty thousand members from each state and territory. Moreover, it was also the most massive, powerful, and fastest military response to a natural disaster in the United States history.

On the eve of the disaster, about three thousand Louisiana National Guard’s airmen and soldiers began preparing vehicles, equipment, and supplies. Immediately after the storm passed, Guard members throughout the Gulf Coast and Louisiana started responding and helping people. Apart from organizing and providing rescue and search, security, evacuation, and medical treatment, the National Guard needed to supply New Orleans citizens who decided to stay with food, water, and protection. Despite the fact that the aftermath was devastating and soldiers themselves were terrified and shocked, their support came as fast as possible.

Another example is the National Guard’s response to the 2020 Mid-Michigan flooding. Soldiers were assisting to rescue residents from floods and other disasters, serve meals at food banks, and test people who feared they were infected with the COVID-19 (Witsil, 2020). Because of the pandemic, the National Guard’s members had to find some ways of helping people while keeping social distance, which is even more challenging than their usual missions. Without its help, citizens and local responders were unlikely to address the emergency quickly and adequately.

The Military Involvement

Although it is the primary purpose and responsibility of civilian agencies at federal, state, and local levels to address disasters, armed forces’ help may also be required in some cases. Only the military has the necessary organization, training, equipment, and manpower that allow it to provide professional relief effort needed during recovery from a catastrophic incident (Emergency Management Institute, 2011). In some certain areas, the military may offer specific capabilities, namely in immediate help deployment, logistics, and transport (Page, 2018). Thus, the armed forces’ role during and after disasters is unquestionable. Several branches of the military may become involved in emergency response, including the army and the air force. As for the Army, they typically work together with the National Guard members (Kapucu, n.d.). For example, they rescue pets and people, transport first responders, and deliver necessary supplies, which are their main functions during a disaster response.

Air Force emergency management specialists’ purpose is to reduce the number of casualties and support those who got affected by a catastrophe. These members are trained to perform response and recovery missions after man-made and natural disasters (Fischer, 2020). Emergency management specialists create special procedures and plan to protect Air Force personnel, members of which are sent to address various dangerous situations (Emergency Management Institute, 2011). Some of their duties include conducting chemical, biological, and nuclear warning and detection activities, keeping track of inventories, managing supplies and equipment, assisting with contingency planning and recovery and response operations, and preparing Civil Engineer operations.

What is more, when there is, for example, a storm coming, the task of Air Force specialists is to fly into it to gather necessary data and send it back to forecasters. This is an essential mission that makes storm response easier (Emergency Management Institute, 2011). Finally, these airmen should mobilize government organizations and resources, coordinate a prompt response, and minimize damage and casualties. In particular, Air Force members’ roles during and after an emergency involve civil assistance, peacekeeping, disaster relief, search and rescue, maritime surveillance, transportation, and logistics.

Conclusion

To conclude, one may say that the role of NATO and the National Guard in emergency response is hard to be overestimated. Man-made and natural disasters are not always easy to be addressed by local authorities, so the help of military forces may be vital. Members of the National Guard, the Army, and the Air Force save people, supply them with food, water, and support, plan and perform rescue operations, and do their best to quickly respond to disasters and minimize the damage and casualties.

References

Emergency Management Institute. (2011). FEMA IS-75: Military resources in emergency management. Web.

Fischer, E. (2020). Disaster response: The role of a humanitarian military. Army Technology. Web.

Gambino, L. (2014). What is the US national guard and when is it called up?The Guardian. Web.

Kapucu, N. (n.d.). The role of the military in disaster response in the U.S. European Journal of Economic and Political Science (EJEPS), 4(2), 7-33.

NATO response force. (2018). NATO. Web.

Page, A. (2018). FEMA national preparedness report 2018. Homeland Security Digital Library. Web.

Reis, F. A. (2018). Military logistics in natural disasters: The use of the NATO response force in assistance to the Pakistan earthquake relief efforts. Contexto Internacional, 40(1), 73-96.

Witsil, F. (2020). National Guard rescues residents — and pets — after Michigan flooding. Detroit Free Press. Web.

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