TSC tackles joint humanitarian ops course

Published March 11, 2011
By Tech. Sgt. Jerome C. Baysmore
376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

TRANSIT CENTER AT MANAS, Kyrgyzstan -- Transit Center officials met with representatives from the U.S. Agency of International Development and the US Department of State for a two-day course on humanitarian operations this week.

USAID and Department of State attendees came from as far away as Moscow, Kabul, Ashgabat and Tashkent.

The TCM Theater Security Cooperation Division staff and local U.S. Embassy representatives assembled for the Joint Humanitarian Operations Course to focus on how to improve military and USAID coordination during joint humanitarian operations.

"It's an important role," said Mr. Yoni Bock, USAID Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance rep and instructor. "We're here to stress the unique capabilities between civilian and military response so we're better prepared to work together."

According to the USAID Web site, JHOC was created in 2004 to better organize disaster responses. It also established a formal learning environment for select U.S. military leaders and planners to discuss the relationship between USAID, its partners, and the U.S. military.

"This is the big picture of humanitarian operations and our role working with the Department of Defense," he said. "This covers flight clearances, warehouse preparation and coordinating--what we need to know before humanitarian operations is sent in."

The JHOC also opened to other selected military units, staffs and schools. This class pinpointed the cooperation between military and civilian humanitarian assistance.

"It's how we inform DoD as well as other interagencies on how the processes within disaster response works," said Mr. Robert Dunsmore, USAID OFDA representative. "It's gone quite well."

The course also focused on presentations, participant discussion groups, and case studies.

"We recognized the opportunity to use our civilian counterparts like USAID to work together to provide excellent support to Kyrgyzstan," said. Lt. Col. Rene Boissiere, TSC medical humanitarian assistance chief.

"It further shows the benefits of joint power-both military and civilians working together; it was a great learning opportunity and avenue for cross talk."