Operation Aftershock: the U.S. military disaster response to the Yogyakarta earthquake May through June 2006.
The U.S. military has recently been involved in many humanitarian assistance and disaster response missions around the world. This newfound role is in response to the U.S. government's desire to use "medical diplomacy" rather than "military might" to shape its relationship with foreign governments. With each of these humanitarian assistance and disaster response missions, the U.S. military has learned how to more rapidly insert desperately needed services and skill sets into disaster-struck communities, how to arrange for in-country services (translation services, transportation, etc.) that cannot be readily brought in, and how to work closely with foreign governments and nongovernmental organizations to determine their needs and expectations without the U.S. military appearing as if it were trying to establish a permanent presence.
Amundson
Dennis
D
Department of Internal Medicine, Naval Medical Center, San Diego, CA 92134-5000, USA.
Lane
David
D
Ferrara
Elizabeth
E
D000533:Altruism; D054597:Disaster Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004190:Disasters; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D008493:Medical Missions / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008889:Military Personnel; D012066:Relief Work; D014481:United States