Noncombatant Evacuation Operations -- Plan Now or Pay Later

The roles and responsibilities of key U.S. government departments and agencies tasked with planning, preparing, coordinating, and executing Noncombatant Evacuation Operations NEO are addressed. The U.S. Army Ranger Ready Force and the U.S. Marine Expeditionary Unit Special Operations Capable MEUSOC are the force options available to the Commander-in-Chief CINC of unified commands to conduct NEO whose capabilities and limitations are compared. The MEUSOC is recommended as the CINCs force of choice in NEO. The security environment in our world is volatile, often hostile, and the likelihood of having to conduct increasing numbers of NEOs in the future is highly probable. The U.S. cannot afford to rely on past successes in NEO translating into successes in the future. Only a thorough understanding of the interrelationships between the myriad of government agencies involved in NEO and selection of appropriate forces available to the CINC will significantly contribute to reducing the pitfalls and friction inherent in NEO and to create the conditions for success. Noncombatant Evacuation Operations, Rescue Operations.