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The Center
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The Center for Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance (COE-DMHA), established by Congressional legislation in 1994, operates under the authority of the Secretary of Defense and fulfills a worldwide mission to enhance civil-military coordination through collaborative partnerships, education and training, and applied research.1 The Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Partnership Strategy and Stability Operations provides guidance through the Commander, U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM), who exercises direct control of the Center.
COE-DMHA is a direct reporting unit to the USPACOM. As such, USPACOM and its service components are our primary customers. COE-DMHA efforts focus on the operational level, supporting the combatant commander’s Theater Campaign Plan and preparing Joint Task Force (JTF) commanders and staffs for disaster response and humanitarian assistance operations. Education, training, and applied research activities are designed to improve civil-military performance across the spectrum of humanitarian response from natural disasters to complex contingencies.
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Our Mission
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The Center for Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance, as the Department of Defense and U.S. Pacific Command’s premier international humanitarian assistance and disaster management organization, enhances civil-military preparedness and response through collaborative partnerships, applied research, and education and training.
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Vision
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The Center for Excellence is the Department of Defense touchstone for civil-military coordination in foreign disaster management and humanitarian assistance operations.
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Collaborative Partnerships
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Collaborative partnerships refer to the formal or informal relationships established to advance the Center’s mission. Formation and sustainment of collaborative partnerships that increase the US Pacific Command’s regional influence and support attainment of theater security objectives is the Center’s main effort. Collaborative partnerships are critical to effectively executing applied research and education and training. Ultimately, these collaborative partnerships will reinforce execution of HADR missions.
COE-DMHA's collaborative partnerships with U.S. and foreign civilian and military organizations tasked to conduct disaster management or humanitarian assistance missions expands our knowledge reach and share applied research. Outreach with civilian and DOD academic organizations is an important step to remain on the cutting edge of intellectual development in the HADR field. COE-DMHA is uniquely positioned to extend US regional influence and increase collaboration with our allies and partners.
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Applied Research
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COE-DMHA exercises leadership in conducting applied research that enhances the effectiveness of military HADR operations and informs key decision-makers. The applied research staff collects, catalogs, and disseminates best practices—and incorporates them into COE-DMHA education and training programs. As a contribution to the international humanitarian community, the Center makes its products such as country disaster response handbooks, best practices literature, and applied research tools available through its website.
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Education and Training
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COE-DMHA's education and training focuses on the delivery of knowledge and sharing information between HADR practitioners. Our courseware helps prepare US and foreign militaries to respond effectively to disasters and humanitarian crises. Our delivery method includes workshops, Senior Leader Seminars, Table Top Exercises, tailored HADR courses, and support to Service Component and JTF engagements, as well as USPACOM J7 exercises.
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Support during HADR Operations
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COE-DMHA staff advises and assists combatant command staffs and service components acting as joint task force headquarters during disaster response and humanitarian missions. The Center trains JTF staffs to understand the unique aspects of humanitarian civil-military coordination and military support to HADR missions through pre-response training and education
To accomplish this mission, COE-DMHA provides subject matter experts as matrixed members of the USPACOM Deployable Joint Task Force Augmentation Cell (DJTFAC) for training and crisis responses.
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