ARMY RESERVE COMPETITIVE PROGRAMS

Army Reserve Medical Command Soldiers are participating in humanitarian mission support training provided by USAID's Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance at the C. W. Bill Young Armed Forces Reserve Center in Pinellas Park, Florida on March 06, 2024. The training prepares Soldiers to apply humanitarian service skills in Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA) based missions in areas affected by natural disasters. Participants learn how to conduct aid as part of a joint task force, as well as how all the functions they would aid in from the team's formation to its dissolution. One of the training directors, Eric James, a Humanitarian Assistance Advisor to the Military, spoke in depth about the importance of this training for Army medical professionals. “I think it's important to know that this humanitarian assistance and disaster relief is a joint mission,” he said “That it's part of what the DOD does. That there's a lead federal agency that is international and we work very closely, especially around the military, to have this unique capability that can save lives.” This type of training is crucial for medical professionals in that when disasters inevitably happen they are ready to deploy and provide necessary care as part of a multifaceted team, saving lives with maximum efficiency.