Enhancing U.S. and International Civil-Military Preparedness for Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance: Curriculum Development and Implementation Recommendations for Executive Programme, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Humanitarian Assis

Southeast Asia is one of the most disaster-prone regions in the world,  therefore enhancing the region’s response to disasters is critical. The team was tasked with reviewing the curriculum of the AHA Centre ACE Programme with a focus on civil-military coordination.

The two-part study consisted of a desk review of disaster management best-practices internationally and in the ASEAN context, and qualitative fieldwork in Hawaii and Jakarta. Key informants in Hawaii consisted of USPACOM staff, and key informants in Jakarta included AHA Centre staff, ACE Programme participants, and United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (UNOCHA) staff. This cross- sectional assessment of military, ASEAN, and UN humanitarian practitioners adds to existing literature involving the ACE Programme.

The team found that the ACE Programme helped to establish important relationships that could be leveraged in future disasters. However, there are challenges with civil-military coordination due to the lack of standardized communication between the military and civilians, and the existence of discrepancies between international civil-military principles and the reality of civil-military coordination in the ASEAN region.

The recommendations highlight four areas where CFE-DM can benefit the ACE curriculum. First, CFE-DM can enhance civil-military training provided by UNOCHA through an in- depth integration of the diverse ASEAN characteristics.  Second, CFE-DM has the capacity to help establish a database of ACE alumni. Third, CFE-DM can assist with an English course on disaster management vocabulary. Finally, CFE-DM can conduct in- house training to groom trainers to teach AHA Centre staff and provide trainings on exercise planning and civil-military training.

Visit United States Department of Defense, Center for Excellence— Disaster Management and Humanitarian Affairs (CFE DMHA) to view the published report.