71 MI Coy

L/Cpl Hill

Non-Combatant Evacuation Operations

71 MI Coy

Operation HighbrowLebanon, 2006

71 MI Coy

Lebanon, 2006 Operation Highbrow

● (Canada) 12 July Air attacks 16 July ‘political go’ 19 July first evacs 29 July 1,000s mid Aug 14,000 (ceasefire)

● Militar Ops ● International Effort: UK, USA, Germany, Canada… Moldavia,

Romania … India, Philippines, Sri Lanka… ● 10s (Croatia, Peru) to 1,000s (UK, Germany) to 10,000s (Australia,

Canada, Sri Lanka) ● UK: HMS Illustrious HMSG Gloucester, RFA (Royal Fleet Auxiliaries)

Fort Victoria, HMS Bulwark, HMS York, HMS St Albans, Sea King helicopters from Cyprus

● UK evacuated 4,500 people 15-22 July

● + Ferries, Helicopters● …to, eg Uttlesford, nr Stanstead…

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Broad Timeline

● Preparation (Prevents … )● Background

● Warnings & Triggers● Anticipate… at all levels!● Develop Specifics

● Explicit go, execute:

● Civilians gather at staging areas● Communicate● Security, etc● Transport

● Intermediate assembly areas● Evacuate off-location● Repatriate

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Context: It’s not about us

● It’s a Foreign Office thing. ● Will have existing plans…● …and instructions for civilians, including:

● Stage 1 (alert, stay at home)● Stage 2 (go unless you need to stay)● Stage 3 (go any way you can)● Stage 4 (Evacuate, as a civilian operation unless:

● Overwhelmed● Insecure● Can’t get there in time● Officially denied by host)

Then mil)● Closure of FCO posts

71 MI Coy

71 MI Coy

Context: Operating Environment

● FCO op, not mil op.● Command structure … varies● Not nec security threats: eg earthquakes, volcanos, etc

● Integrating/interfacing with lots of other organisations…including international ones…blue on blue/white/green threats

● Where do ‘we’ fit in:● As Military, as Army, as MI, as MI Reserves, as 7MI

● May be no formal political remit (applied retrospectively)

I

71 MI Coy

Albania 1997Operation Silver Wake (US)Operation Libelle (German)

● Ponzi scheme breaks a country: $1.2bn ‘lost’ out of 3m people● January protests, February state vs protesters lead to deaths, March

change of government escalation of protests and deaths● 11 March all foreigners to leave● 13 March not possible; refuge taken in German embassy (not yet

evacuated…)● 13-14 March Evacuation of ~100 by Germany to Podgorica, then to

Bonn● 13-29 March Evacuation of ~900 by USA to ship● (+ others, not military…ish)● 19 March German parliament gives permission…

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Preparation

● Communication & Discussion at all levels● Contingency Planning

● Disperse, open source ISTAR● Identify operating bases – several – forward and supporting

● Sea, allied countries

● Identify reception centres● Familiar, easy to identify, reach (for both us and the civs), screen (ie

filter non-qualified), size, secure, etc● Staffing● Set up layouts, drill processes

● Warnings (eg from DI: “Indicators and Warning” monthly, classified)● Triggers: Sudden, start-stop, inconsequential

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Civilian steps

● Alert ● Communication channels

● Assemble (under own steam, preferably)● Screen, Search, Secure ● Register and inform● Prepare to move:

● Transient, Desolate

● Relocate● Sustain and protect for extended periods● Austere

● Evacuate● Move to safe haven/Repatriate.

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Operating (Host) Environment

● Permissive● Uncertain● Hostile

● …um… (JDP does recognise …um…)● Who? (Host nation, host civilians, host militia, etc)● To whom?● How hostile?

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Sierra LeoneOperation Palliser

● Sierra Leone● In Westminster, the three government departments concerned with

the British role in Sierra Leone—the MoD, the FCO, and DfID—struggled to agree on the objectives of the military deployment beyond the evacuation, which led to delays in issuing orders. Richards did not receive precise instructions until after Operation Palliser had commenced, and rules of engagement (ROEs) were not issued before the start of the operation. Commanders defaulted to the ROEs used in Northern Ireland, their most recent relevant experience

● Separate command structure from UNAMSIL● Distraction of resources for mil/sy tasks

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Strategic Factors

● Communications: eg SMS contacts● Transport● Overwhelming Fire Support

● Deterrence vs Stirring up● Force protection● Manoeuvre: speed, concentration● Medical● Sustenance● High ranking officers – authority and weight to negotiate● Control

● Air● Radio● (Information…)

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Practical Factors

● Fast● Uninformed (surprise location, or it wouldn’t be us)● Medical (young children, pregnant women, the sick)● Law: Ours, theirs, international● ROE

● Reasonable, proportional, necessary● Infrastructure as was

● As is likely to be. Including water, sewage● As we can bring

● Deceased in transit

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Civilian Factors…

● Possibly Unprepared● Families● Civilian security contractors● Some loose cannons…● Some familiar with living abroad, the culture, the language● Some isolated contractors (eg oil, aid workers)

● Identifying ‘useful’ Points of contacts● Ex military/TA – familiar with language, processes, ranks,

behaviour● (Us!)

● Capable managers● Experienced staff● NEO veterans

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Vietnam 1975Operation Frequent Wind

● 1975

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Planning Points

● Infrastructure● Transport: Ins and outs. Airports, ports, roads to

assembly points● Communication: newspapers, radio, TV, mobile SMS● Effects of weather, war, refugees● What do we bring? Independent comms, bridge

building, etc● Available Resources (think wide!)● Securing Assembly Points ( Sanctuary!)● Managing Assembly Points● Moving between Assembly Points

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71 MI Coy

South Sudan

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Summary

● Speed● Uncertainty● FCO op, not ‘military’ op● Multi-agency● Highly Complex

● Infrastructure (Host)● Infrastructure (Supplied)● Movement & Security & Political repercussions

● It’s what we live for, right?

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Exercise!

● Blue team:● Quick plan of extracting civilians from Blackwood

● Red team:● What would be the issues with extracting people from

Blackwood?

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References

● Intro to Doctrine● https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/jdp-3-51-non-combatant-evacuation-operations ● 4MI “Best Practice” Handbook (eg working with allies, using open source)● The American view: http://www.armyg1.army.mil/MilitaryPersonnel/NEO.asp● Civilian Practice (?)

● Examples:● Libya, Lebanon, Sierra Leone

● Intelligence/Intelligent Extensions