Climate Change: Considerations for Geographic Combatant Commands PKSOI Paper | Page 34

• “USSOUTHCOM is partner of choice in the
AOR.”
While the HA/DR end-state is directly correlated
to USSOUTHCOM’s LOE “Humanitarian Assistance/
Disaster Relief,” the correlation to the latter end-state
and USSOUTHCOM’s LOE “Critical Access and Relations” is more nuanced. The “choice” word suggests
competition that exists as potential partner nations
establish bilateral relations between the United States
and/or/in combination with other nations such as
China or Venezuela. Leader engagement with partner and potential partner nations, provision of technical expertise, and enabling or in some cases providing
funds are the main three ways that GCCs with the IA
community can aid nations in increasing their climate
change resiliency. These are all long-term investments
with the purpose of strengthening bilateral countryto-country relationships. SOUTHCOM’s commander
General Kelly states that “trust must be built, nurtured, and sustained through regular contact.”80 Senior
leader and technical-level climate change discussion ˜ܙX]H[