Noncombatant Evacuation Operations Decision-Making Process Effects on Efficiency

U.S. global presence is growing at unprecedented rates. As of June 2000, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated over 3.8 million U.S. citizens lived abroad with estimates of this overseas population blossoming to over five million today. At the same time, globalization is bringing the world closer, placing U.S. interests and citizens in locations ripe with uncertainty. This poses an ever-increasing challenge for the U.S. Government to preserve vigilance while maintaining the ability to swiftly react when danger presents itself to protect its citizens. This paper takes a critical look at the way the U.S. Government conducts Noncombatant Evacuation Operations (NEOs). Through the identification of key decision-makers, the policies and processes government agencies implement, and the operational challenges they face, it is evident the process is currently not structure towards efficiency. By examining the barriers of interagency biases and lack of coordinated information sharing, it can be inferred historical success in NEOs is likely attributed to perseverance, ingenuity, and tenacity. This paper asserts through codified processes based on sound planning assumptions and the application of critical thinking, key decision-makers are provided the necessary framework and foundation to make comprehensive decisions with direct effect on the efficiency of future evacuation operations.