Comments on: Does The Navy Have A Place In McChrystal’s War? http://conflicthealth.com/does-the-navy-have-a-place-in-mcchrystals-war/ Defending Health Against Persecution, Violence, And Armed Conflict Mon, 30 Jan 2012 06:29:49 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: TEJ http://conflicthealth.com/does-the-navy-have-a-place-in-mcchrystals-war/comment-page-1/#comment-592 TEJ Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:18:38 +0000 http://conflicthealth.com/?p=1259#comment-592 DoD's Center of Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance onboard Tripler AMC builds a lot of capacity in USGov and partner nations. Check them out: http://www.coe-dmha.org/index.htm . Always been impressed working with them, they most definitely understand the public health/political/information nexus. DoD’s Center of Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance onboard Tripler AMC builds a lot of capacity in USGov and partner nations. Check them out: http://www.coe-dmha.org/index.htm . Always been impressed working with them, they most definitely understand the public health/political/information nexus.

]]> By: Bill Petti http://conflicthealth.com/does-the-navy-have-a-place-in-mcchrystals-war/comment-page-1/#comment-591 Bill Petti Tue, 01 Dec 2009 12:24:50 +0000 http://conflicthealth.com/?p=1259#comment-591 @Matt T: Thanks for the excellent links and info, will check them out. @Matt T: Thanks for the excellent links and info, will check them out.

]]> By: Matt T http://conflicthealth.com/does-the-navy-have-a-place-in-mcchrystals-war/comment-page-1/#comment-590 Matt T Tue, 01 Dec 2009 03:46:36 +0000 http://conflicthealth.com/?p=1259#comment-590 It just so happens.... 1. Does the Navy have a dog in this fight? Absolutely. The Individual Augment (IA) program has over 14,000 "boots on the ground". Sailors and Officers in country doing non-traditional missions - from convoy duty to provincial reconstruction. http://www.navy.mil/view_single.asp?id=67551 2. Do line officers have a role? Yup. They are the bulk of the Navy's officer corps and they make up the bulk of the IA's and, soon, the Af-Pak Hands. The Af-Pak hands program that seeks to "further develop proficiencies in counter-insurgency doctrine, regional languages and culture" (http://www.npc.navy.mil/NR/rdonlyres/5FEBF498-F8E2-457A-BD53-B0C67E256EB7/0/NAV09280.txt) How does six months in country and six months at home for 3-5 years sound? 3. Isn't there a center of excellence? The Naval Postgraduate School hosts a center that does exactly that. http://www.csrs-nps.org/logistica/public/home.cfm None of your post, or Bill's comment, address the question of how or why the humanitarian and reconstruction mission has been wholly absorbed by the military. Obviously there is manpower and a can-do attitude, but is this the right course for the services - or is it just a decade long gap-filler because there is no alternative? It just so happens….
1. Does the Navy have a dog in this fight? Absolutely. The Individual Augment (IA) program has over 14,000 “boots on the ground”. Sailors and Officers in country doing non-traditional missions – from convoy duty to provincial reconstruction. http://www.navy.mil/view_single.asp?id=67551
2. Do line officers have a role? Yup. They are the bulk of the Navy’s officer corps and they make up the bulk of the IA’s and, soon, the Af-Pak Hands. The Af-Pak hands program that seeks to “further develop proficiencies in counter-insurgency doctrine, regional languages and culture” (http://www.npc.navy.mil/NR/rdonlyres/5FEBF498-F8E2-457A-BD53-B0C67E256EB7/0/NAV09280.txt) How does six months in country and six months at home for 3-5 years sound?
3. Isn’t there a center of excellence? The Naval Postgraduate School hosts a center that does exactly that. http://www.csrs-nps.org/logistica/public/home.cfm

None of your post, or Bill’s comment, address the question of how or why the humanitarian and reconstruction mission has been wholly absorbed by the military. Obviously there is manpower and a can-do attitude, but is this the right course for the services – or is it just a decade long gap-filler because there is no alternative?

]]> By: Bill Petti http://conflicthealth.com/does-the-navy-have-a-place-in-mcchrystals-war/comment-page-1/#comment-589 Bill Petti Mon, 30 Nov 2009 23:31:52 +0000 http://conflicthealth.com/?p=1259#comment-589 Chris: Great post. I think you are right that the Navy has developed significant non-military skills that would prove a fantastic fit for the Afghanistan campaign. I wonder to what extent the Navy might be well served sharing their knowledge with the other branches rather than closely guarding their turf (as often happens). Why not develop a best-practices program or humanitarian center-of-excellence for the US Military where the Navy takes the lead in cross-branch training, etc.? They build up good will and credibility across the military and elevate their position within the government in an area that is sure to increase in visibility and import in the coming years. Just a thought. Chris: Great post. I think you are right that the Navy has developed significant non-military skills that would prove a fantastic fit for the Afghanistan campaign. I wonder to what extent the Navy might be well served sharing their knowledge with the other branches rather than closely guarding their turf (as often happens).

Why not develop a best-practices program or humanitarian center-of-excellence for the US Military where the Navy takes the lead in cross-branch training, etc.? They build up good will and credibility across the military and elevate their position within the government in an area that is sure to increase in visibility and import in the coming years. Just a thought.

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