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Frequently Asked Questions This page contains a list of questions that are commonly asked about the Center for Excellence in Disaster Management & Humanitarian Assistance (COEDMHA). If you have a question or concern not addressed on this page, please feel free to call us at 808-433-1433 or email to frontoffice@coe-dmha.org. Use the drop-down menu to choose a question:
What is the Center for Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance? The Center for Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance, called “COE” for short, is a small U.S. Department of Defense organization whose focus is to improve civil-military coordination internationally, particularly for humanitarian assistance, disaster management, and peacekeeping. We do this primarily through training and education programs, consultations, and information sharing. What is a Center for Excellence and why was this name chosen? While no definitive description exists, a ‘Center for Excellence’ refers to an organization that is formed to address issues on a particular topic that no single agency, entity, or organization can address on its own. The name was give to COE by Congress. Why is our acronym "COE" when our name is Our congressional mandate bestowed the institutional title, "Center for Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance" in 1994. However, most organizations similar to our category are commonly designated as a "Center of Excellence," and we informally adopted that title. In February 2007 we reasserted our original title to better reflect our identity as a "Center for Excellence." This depicts our organization’s active role in providing and facilitating education, training, and interagency coordination in disaster management and humanitarian assistance. Importantly, the title reflects our part in a larger, ongoing collaborative effort among multinational civilian and military entities. Because we are still widely known as the "Center of Excellence," our organization abbreviation remains as "COE." When was COE established? October 1994. Where is COE situated? COE facilities, offices, and staff are headquartered on the grounds of Tripler Army Medical Center (TAMC) in Honolulu, Hawaii. COE is separate from the hospital. Why was COE established? COE was established in response to experiences of the U.S. military which indicated that the dramatic change in world politics and subsequent asymmetric warfare meant new challenges to the cold war institutions that had been in place for more than fifty years, and that adaptation to the increase in civilian response to humanitarian crises was required. To whom does COE report? COE is a direct report unit to U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM), which oversees U.S. military forces and U.S. Department of Defense assets in the Asia-Pacific Region. The Director of COE, a civilian, reports directly to the Deputy Combatant Commander of USPACOM. Is COE operational, that is, does it respond to events with personnel and/or material support? COE is generally not operational in the traditional sense; i.e., we are not a ‘first-responder’ organization. Mainly, COE helps other organizations that are active in the provision of relief or security, including the military, to coordinate better, and to learn about the role of the other actors in the humanitarian field so that they may perform their own roles better. Much of the work of COE is ‘behind the scenes’, helping the responding organizations to do their own jobs better through education, training, research, and information management activities, in a multinational, multidisciplinary setting. Occasionally, COE staff members are ‘seconded’ to USPACOM, the US Agency for International Development (USAID), or the United Nations, to assist with coordination during responses to major disasters, on a case-by-case basis. Is COE involved in policy-making? No, COE does not make policy, though policy may affect its activities or its activities may indirectly influence policy. Is COE involved in domestic response issues? COE may occasionally assist, at the request of US government agencies, to provide education, training, and consultation on such issues as improving interagency coordination in the areas of terrorism response, disaster relief, and so on. However, COE’s primarily focus is on international activities. Where does COE's funding come from? COE's primary source of operating funds comes from the Department of Defense, as authorized and appropriated by US Congress through the sponsorship of Senator Daniel K. Inouye. Additional funds are secured from diverse elements of the US Government, including the State Department and the US Department of Defense for specific programs and projects. Programs and projects are oftentimes co-sponsored by host nations and agencies and departments of the United Nations. Does COE operate in a classified environment? COE does not operate in a classified environment, nor are its products classified. Why is COE situated in Hawaii? COE focuses on meeting the needs of the operators, e.g., those on the ground in the event of a conflict situation, humanitarian crisis, or natural disaster. One of COE’s primary clients is U.S. Pacific Command and all of its operational components, headquartered at Camp Smith, Hawaii. Hawaii is also centrally positioned between the seat of the U.S. federal government in Washington, DC, and the countries of Asia and the Pacific. Hawaii's diverse cultural backgrounds make it an ideal location for many of COE's multinational events. What does COE do? COE educates, trains, provides consultation, supports military exercises, and produces information for responders. How is COE organized? COE has a core of U.S. Government civil service staff members in its director and financial staff. Most of the staff members are civilian contractors. For operational purposes, COE staff members are organized into units. The operational units are: civil-military relations, humanitarian affairs and practice, medical and public health, and information management. Support functions include administration, travel, multimedia and graphics, public relations, and information technology. How many people staff COE? Full-time staff number around 30, and are a mixture of U.S. civil service, U.S. active duty military, and civilian contractors. COE also employs subject matter experts for such activities as instructors, facilitators, and role players. They come from many diverse organizations, including the U.S. Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance, the International Committee of the Red Cross, host nation Ministries of Foreign Affairs, UN agencies and departments, and many more. Adjunct faculty from local partners such as Tripler Army Medical Center lend their expertise to teaching activities. What are their backgrounds? Most COE staff members in program areas have operational, in-the-field, experience. Typically they have performed more than one role and/or have the ability to bridge cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary boundaries and appreciate the "big picture" and broad perspective necessary for coordination in complex humanitarian events. Some are retired military; others have experience working for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the UN. They also have solid academic backgrounds. Biographies for permanent staff are available on this website. What do they do? They develop programs that will meet the needs of their clients and constituents, be they military operational components or staff officers, members of non-governmental organizations, government officials, or the myriad others involved in humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, or peace operations. They select projects and initiate activities that will meet these needs in an integrated manner, so that all segments that have an impact in the field are a part of the solution. Finally, they put together teams of COE staff, adjunct faculty, and subject matter experts who will execute the activity. What products does COE produce and how are they disseminated? Many of COE's information products are available electronically through this website, including the Asia-Pacific Daily Report, situational reports, the Liaison (COE's annual journal), and electronic version of online books. Other materials are available to participants of a particular activity, such as courses, workshops and conferences. Who can obtain these products? Many products are available through this website and may be printed free of charge. Make requests for hard copies by writing to Public Relations, Center for Excellence in DMHA, 1 Jarrett White Road (MCPA-DM), Tripler AMC, HI 96859-5000, or emailail pr@coe-dmha.org Who can attend COE-sponsored education and training events? Courses such as the HELP course are restricted in class size and require submission of an application. Other events are intended for specific audiences. These include multinational and bilateral events for which the intended participants will receive an invitation. Other events are customized education and training activities and conferences for specific disciplines or organizations, such as exercises and TAP courses. Please consult the website for more information about specific upcoming events. How can I find out more about COE's coming events? Please check our website periodically for announcements and updates. My question is not answered here. How can I get more information? Contact the public relations office at 808-433-1433 or email to pr@coe-dmha.org. Sitemap | Contact | FAQs | Staff Information | The Liaison | Employment |
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