Soldiers and NGOs (merged thread)

[Schmedlap]

My memory may be failing me, but I recall needing some humanitarian supplies in Iraq in 2007 (basically, rice, blankets, mattresses, and halal meals) on a few occasions and I think (though I am not sure) that our Civil Affairs personnel requested those items through USAID (or some NGO). My understanding is that we used USAID / some NGO because the Army did not have a stockpile available nor could we obtain it quickly enough through whatever channels that stuff comes through.

[Purple]

My memory may be failing me, but I recall needing some humanitarian supplies in Iraq in 2007 (basically, rice, blankets, mattresses, and halal meals) on a few occasions and I think (though I am not sure) that our Civil Affairs personnel requested those items through USAID (or some NGO). My understanding is that we used USAID / some NGO because the Army did not have a stockpile available nor could we obtain it quickly enough through whatever channels that stuff comes through.

Hi, Just to follow up what you wrote, I am a Civil Affairs Soldier and would like to add that a key thing to remember about CA is that Army supplies are never to be used in support of a mission that involves giving something (anything really) to a civilian. Your CA folks should be the resident expert and ideally would have already met with and have rapport with peers (USAID, S/CRS, Peace Corps, Host Nation Agencies) that might assist them with any civil response that will support the commander's intent. Recall that while providing humanitarian aid is a just and honorable venture the Civil Affairs team should be focused on accomplishing the commander's intent. Now, truth be told, a good CA guy/girl can make most anything meet the commander's intent. In a combat zone that is, of course, the maneuver commander but otherwise it would be the chief of mission (Dept. of State).

Hope this helps.
Major Shannon Way, Student, Command and General Staff College

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