from JSOTF-P conducted aerial and ground movements to assess conditions in
remote areas and to interact with local populations, national organizations, and
arriving relief agencies to help synchronize efforts. These SOF teams continuously gave III MEB and Joint Task Force 505 accurate insights/assessments on
the conditions of affected areas – facilitating planning and allocation of Marine
Corps assets, inbound U.S. PACOM assets, and relief supplies.
Each SOF team (working in the remote/affected areas) consisted of one Special
Forces 18A officer/team leader, one 18E communications sergeant, one 18D
medical sergeant, two 38-series CA soldiers, and one attached CCT. The CA
soldiers proved to be the "workhorses" of this operation – producing and
updating assessments, coordinating assessments with governmental organizations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and contributing to higher
headquarters' Common Operating Picture (COP). One of these SOF teams –
equipped with a Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) terminal, laptop, and
cell phone – took initiative by geo-tagging photos and then instantly uploading
them to an online map; this practice proved to be useful for COP development/
enhancement.
The greatest strength of the SOF teams was their ability to rapidly establish
strong relationships with host nation civil authorities, the Armed Forces of the
Philippines, the Philippine National Police, and NGOs, and to then utilize those
relationships to connect with others arriving on the scene. SOF teams also
proved invaluable at organizing and advising host nation security personnel and
local leaders to accomplish several critical tasks: the establishment of local
security to prevent looting, the management of internally displaced persons
(IDPs), the reception of NGOs, and the design and implementation of distribution
networks to move life-saving relief supplies to people in desperate need. As the
UN established and expanded its presence, SOF teams also helped connect
relief agencies and local leaders to the UN cluster meetings. Without question,
SOF teams on the ground demonstrated that there is no substitute for culturally
astute personnel who have the skills to rapidly establish relationships with host
nation personnel, as well as to expand relationships/connections with newly
arriving personnel/organizations.
Recommendation.
1. HA/DR planners in USPACOM, USSOUTHCOM, USCENTCOM, and
USAFRICOM should work with counterpart Special Operations planners to
identify SOF assets and capabilities that can be leveraged to quickly respond in
support of foreign disaster relief missions.
2. The Joint Operations Center (JOC) managing military support during a HA/DR
operation should standardize use of open source geo-tagging (see NOTES
below) in its Common Operating Picture (COP). The JOC should maximize
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