The sad news about the American and Nepalese troops who died on an aid delivery run recently got me thinking about the armed forces and humanitarian missions. When did the armed forces started being used for things like rescue/aid missions? What was the original justification and was there any resistance in the military itself? And are there any current armies (not including insurgent forces) who never participate in humanitarian missions?
The US Navy Seabees have been doing humanitarian aid efforts for a long time. The one I went on personally was in 1976 after the devastating Guatemala earthquake that killed about 20,000. The Seabees have also been involved in hurricane/typhoon relief; the two that come to mind right away are Super Typhoon Pamela in 1976 and Huricane Camille in 1969 that devastated Gulfport, MS (one of the two Seabee battalion home ports).
Resistance? Never. That sort of scenario is what the Seabees are trained and equipped for.
The military’s job is to follow the orders of the executive branch of government to the best of their abilities. If they are able to conduct humanitarian missions, and are ordered to do so, then that’s their job.
Yeah, the idea that the military “don’t do anything but kill people and blow stuff up” sounds like a right-wing talking point made up without reference to the actual military.
Militaries tend to have very good engineers, and very good logistics. They’re well-suited to this sort of thing.
The military is highly organized, well-equipeed, used to moving into hostile environments, and has their own supply train. They can build their own roads, build their own camps, transport their own personnel and feed them. Just bring in a little extra and they can others in need. They also have their own medical personnel. Plus they can provide their own security.
It may blow your mind that the Army Corps of Engineers - real, live soldiers with medals backed up by (lots of) civilian support - are responsible for building and maintaining hundreds of dams, locks, reservoirs, and similar public works throughout the United States.
Moved this thread over to General Questions.
I should have mentioned my earliest contact with this sort of effort: the 1964 Alaska earthquake. The Army and the Guard not only brought in tankers full of drinking water (the mains had severed) and large quantities of C-rations for public distribution, but also provided downtown security to prevent any possible looting of stores.
If nothing else, the military performing humanitarian missions (isn’t that what the National Guard used to do?) is good practice for performing the same sort of thing under wartime conditions. You know, things like rescuing and evacuating injured people, setting up field hospitals and kitchens, transporting food and potable water to remote areas, etc…
Heck, it was either the Army or the National Guard that set up a field hospital on Max Yasgur’s farm during the Woodstock Music and Arts Festival in 1969.