DMA Looks at Divide Between Civilian and Military Agencies in Natural Disaster Relief

Natural disaster relief efforts represent a nexus between NGOs, private volunteer organizations, and the  military. This theme dominated Wednesday’s Defense Ministerial of the Americas (DMA), panel discussion hosted by the Council of the Americas. The DMA is an organization that seeks to advance regional security cooperation.  With this in mind, panelist Colonel John Cope, Senior Research Fellow, Institute for National Strategic Studies, proposed that the DMA refine the collaborative process in the context of natural disaster relief.  The important question was then raised, ‘how can we manage the divide between civilian and military agencies across international boundaries?’

To learn more on bridging this gap, read these lessons learned on the October 2005 Kashmir earthquake relief efforts from a geography Professor at West Point.