DoD Noncombatant Repatriation Operations

Noncombatant evacuation operations (NEOs) are conducted to evacuate civilian noncombatants and nonessential military personnel from locations in a foreign (host) nation during time of endangerment to a Department of State designated safehaven. NEOs are normally conducted to evacuate US citizens whose lives are in danger from a hostile environment or natural disaster. Dependent on the particular scenario, the designated safehaven may be a particular location overseas for a short term contingency, or the Continental US for contingencies of longer duration. While it is the intent that all American citizens will be brought out to safety who so desire, only ‘official’ federal employees and their dependents are authorized this and associated entitlements.

Repatriation is the final step in the evacuation process when American citizens and their families are officially processed back into the continental US. At that point, evacuees may require various services to ensure their well-being and onward movement to either their safehaven location or designated location.

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has total national responsibility for the repatriation of all US noncombatant evacuees in a declared national emergency or on referral by Department of State. Under DHHS plans, DoD is responsible for the repatriation DoD noncombatants and DHHS is responsible for the repatriation of all non-DoD repatriates. DoD Directive 3025.14 designates the Secretary of the Army as the Department of Defense Executive Agent for repatriation plans and operations in connection with the return of DoD noncombatant evacuees. The Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, has been designated as the Secretary's Action / Executing Agent.

As the Action / Executing Agent, DCSPER is responsible for coordinating within DoD (OASD, OJCS, USTRANSCOM, the geographic CINC), with the State Department and with other Federal, State and local agencies in planning for the reception and onward movement of US citizens and designated aliens in the continental US and/or Hawaii. To assist in actual repatriation operations, the DCSPER has designated two Executing Agents for Repatriation Operations - Commander, U.S. Army Forces Command for operations in the Continental U.S. and U.S. territories other than the Pacific and Commander in Chief, Pacific for operations in Hawaii, Alaska and U.S. territories in the Pacific.

ODCSPER has designated specific installations/bases throughout the US as Repatriation Centers. When activated, these centers will receive, process and onward move not only DoD noncombatant evacuees, but American citizens and third country nationals when requested. Repatriation responsibilities include those families affected by the corresponding Stop Movement order - families that may have been in CONUS on leave or enroute on a Permanent Change of Station to the endangered country. These families will be taken care of by respective personnel manning the Joint Reception Coordination Center. Families of both military and DoD civilians who have been affected in such a manner are entitled to safehaven entitlements.

DoD Service Components have designated Service specific organizations to provide follow-on support to their respective family members once they leave the Repatriation Site. These centralized organizations also provide support to families affected by the stop movement order.