NWC Issues in National Security Lecture Series, Lecture 7 "Humanitarian Assistance"

This lecture took place January 24, 2023. From Professor Brightman: The magnitude and complexity of recent disasters have dramatically altered the generally accepted roles for militaries engaged in international humanitarian response. Despite these shifts, the nature and extent of military involvement in humanitarian assistance is context dependent. For example, humanitarian civil-military coordination is increasingly at the forefront of natural disaster response in events such as earthquakes, floods, and hurricanes/typhoons. In contrast, complex emergencies and armed conflicts (e.g., Syria, Ukraine) create additional challenges that must be mitigated through deconfliction and the consideration of humanitarian principles into military planning, especially when militaries are involved in large scale combat operations. The purpose of this lecture will be to discuss how and why coordination and deconfliction strategies are essential for protection of civilian populations, humanitarian organizations engaged in response, and militaries assigned to host-nation stability operations. Special emphasis will be placed on the present-day Russia-Ukraine conflict, and how both the PRC and Russia differ in their delivery of humanitarian aid from the United States. Heath “Hank” Brightman is the Director and full professor in the Civilian-Military Humanitarian Response Program within the College of Maritime Operational Warfare, and also serves as the EMC Informationist Chair at the U.S. Naval War College. From 2008-2016, he served as an associate professor, professor and Director of Applied Research & Analysis in the War Gaming Department. He is a Captain in the Navy Reserve, and the current Commanding Officer of Navy Information Operations Command - Georgia's Fort Dix Unit. In April 2023, he will be deploying to the Middle East in his military capacity to support Operation Inherent Resolve. The views presented by the faculty or other guest speakers do not reflect official positions of the Naval War College, DON or DOD.