Quote Originally Posted by LawVol View Post
Since NGOs typically have more experience at this stuff than us, it would be nice to coordinate the effort with them. Or perhaps we could simply contract out for an advisory team that could assist us in doing this the best way.
I've been attending CIV/MIL conferences with increasing frequency, and am a panelist at one next Monday for AFRICOM and State. Your quote above reinforces one of the major points I'm going to try and convey.

When military entities use the term "coordinate" with NGOs, UN, what-have-you, the humanitarians immediately run screaming from the room, and will continue to do so. The result of US military "coordinating" the efforts of international NGOs in places like Iraq and Afghanistan are that these NGOs become much higher profile "combatants" to some of the actual combatants. In conflict and post-conflict situations, this is not likely to change.

That being said, what is likely to be the most effective way to improve overall interoperability (I will be waterboarded by my community for using that term here!) of military and NGO elements in relief and development situations is to let the majority of the coordiantion/deconfliction reside where it should - with USAID and State.

A greater focus by DOD, State and USAID upon improving their own coordination and deconfliction mechanisms is probably the only way to substantively improve these efforts in conflict environments.

Cheers,