Development (USAID) served as the lead agent for the United States, however, it
relied heavily on the supporting effort provided by the U.S. military to manage the
effort. The U.S. military's Joint Task Force-Haiti (JTF-Haiti) was the driving force
for planning and delivering relief in the initial/emergency phase of the operation.
Additionally, JTF-Haiti took a lead role in organizing and synchronizing a large
part of subsequent (post-emergency) relief efforts through a number of innovations in partnering, coordinating, communicating, and building unity of effort
among the participating organizations. In a disaster relief operation of this magnitude, such work to gain a "whole of international community" approach is
invaluable in gaining efficiencies, saving lives, and mitigating suffering.
Discussion.
The devastation in Haiti resulting from the 7.0 magnitude earthquake of 12
January 2010 prompted the longest and largest U.S. military effort in a foreign
disaster