1. What is USG Humanitarian Assistance?
Humanitarian Assistance (USAID & State Dept.)
Relief Stabilization
FDR; Dislocated Civilian Support Msns; Security Msns; Technical Assistance & Support Functions;
Humanitarian Demining Assistance
Stability Operations (HCA Activities; Security Assistance; FID; Peace Operations;
NEO; Civil-Military Operations; Mass Atrocities Response Operations)
We know what Foreign Assistance is now, but how about Humanitarian Assistance, which is a subset of Foreign Assistance?
What is the definition of USG Humanitarian Assistance?
What does this mean to you? What does this mean to us? Elicit answers.
Unfortunately, State and USAID define this differently from DOD. Neither is right or wrong, just different.
State Dept. and USAID define humanitarian assistance as life-saving, immediate relief. USAID Missions (Big USAID) have the lead at the other end of the spectrum.
DoD HA/DR includes USAID’s HA & some DEVELOPMENT programs. It could be providing relief commodities via helicopter after a disaster (one end of spectrum) or building a medical clinic or roads (other end).
Point out that other civilian agencies are involved with development. Not only DOD!
Humanitarian Assistance (DOD)
For USAID & State Department, humanitarian assistance is generally considered emergency assistance in life-saving relief efforts.
For DOD, humanitarian assistance can include activities along relief to development spectrum.

2. HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE Foreign Humanitarian Assistance
- DOD humanitarian assistance (HA) function includes several DOD programs conducted to build the capacity of partner nations to provide essential services or to meet basic human needs to ensure the well-being of the population.
- Foreign Assistance: Civil or military assistance rendered to a nation by the USG within that nation’s territory based on agreements mutually concluded between the US and that nation. The goal is to promote long-term regional stability. Foreign assistance supports the HN by promoting sustainable development and growth of responsive institutions. Joint Publication 3-0, Joint Operations.
As of: 02 OCT 2018
Foreign Humanitarian Assistance
FHA
CAN SUPPORT
DOD HA DEVELOPMENT
- Foreign Disaster Relief (FDR): Assistance to alleviate the suffering of foreign disaster victims, including victims of natural disasters & conflicts, IDPs, refugees, stateless persons, & vulnerable migrants. (DODD )
Dislocated Civilian Support:
DOD support due to its unique capabilities (e.g., specific engineering skills) .
Security Operations
- Technical Assistance and
Support Functions: Technical assistance may take the form of advice and selected training, assessments, manpower, and equipment.
- Joint Publication 3-29,
Foreign Humanitarian
Assistance
- Short-term, no-notice, limited
contingency disaster
response.
- Conducted outside the U.S.
and its territories.
- HN must ask for or be willing to
accept USG assistance.
- Beyond the HN’s ability to
adequately respond.
- Lead US Federal Agency is
USAID/OFDA
- OFDA Funded.
- Indirect
Support
- Direct
- Combat
Operations
- JP 3-22,
Foreign
Internal
Defense
- Establish Civil
Security
Control
- Restore
Essential
Services
- Support
Governance
Economic and
Infrastructure
Development
- Conduct Security
Cooperation
- JP 3-07,
Stability
Foreign Internal Defense
Funding: Overseas
Humanitarian,
Disaster, and Civic Aid
(OHDACA)
Provided to DSCA
for prioritization and distribution to the CCMDs
~ $100M+ annually
worldwide
Purpose: Security
Cooperation (SC)
Disaster
preparedness and
response
HN capacity building
- DSCA, Security
Assistance
Management Manual
(SAMM)
- Medical, surgical, dental, &
veterinary care; including
education, training, & technical
assistance related to the care
provided.
- Construction of rudimentary
surface transportation systems.
- Well drilling & construction of
sanitation facilities.
- Rudimentary construction &
repair of public facilities.
ALL projects must be coordinated
with USAID and require HN nation
& local authority and US
Ambassador/Chief of Mission/DCM
approval.
DODI : Humanitarian and Civic Assistance (HCA) Activities
Humanitarian Assistance
(Title 10)
Program Manager: Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA); OSD Policy oversight
Describes both Security Cooperation Programs & Security Assistance Programs
Humanitarian and Civic Assistance
- Long-term, pre-planned activities tied to
Combatant Commander’s Campaign Plans
(CCPs).
Promotes security interests of both US &
HN/PN.
Purpose: Operational Readiness of US
forces. Product: humanitarian - benefiting the
civilian populace.
Funding: Military Service O&M Funds:
$7-9 M annually worldwide.
- Command-approved HCA projects: $15K
or less .
- Complements, not duplicates,
social/economic assistance provided by
other USG agencies
- Defense Articles
Military Education and
Training
- Defense Related Sales
(Funded through grants, loans, lease, credit, and cash sales, in furtherance of national policies and objectives)
Security Assistance Programs
(Title 22)
- All SA programs are
subject to the continuous
supervision and general
direction of the Secretary
of State to best serve U.S.
foreign policy interests;
- Programs are variously
administered by DoD or
Department of State
(DoS).
- Those SA programs that
are administered by DOD
are a subset of SC.