F. DOD Roles and Responsibilities for FHA Response to Infectious Disease
Outbreak – Operation United Assistance (Lesson #2658)
Observation.
The U.S. Department of Defense has extensive experience mobilizing a Foreign Humanitarian Assistance
(FHA) response in the event of a natural disaster such as an earthquake or hurricane. However, DOD
capability and experience is more limited in the event of a major outbreak of a serious infectious
disease. Thus, when Ebola broke out in West Africa 2013/2014, there was confusion over DOD roles
and responsibilities for Operation United Assistance, the U.S. military’s first FHA mission in response to
a disease outbreak.
Discussion.
An outbreak of a deadly disease began in Guinea in December 2013 but quickly spread to Lib