Geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) evolved rapidly after the mid-1990s because of advances in technology. Joint doctrine attempted to respond to the advances in technology and the growing power of geographical information system (GIS) tools. However, the doctrine changes did not address the planning requirements for GIS. Planners need guidance that enables them to specify requirements and parameters needed by GIS analysts to exploit GEOINT. Exploiting GEOINT supports timely and accurate decision-making across the range of military operations. To determine specific guidance for planners, the research first needed to identify common operational decisions that require GEOINT support. Faced with a large number of operational missions, the research was narrowed to Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief (HA/DR). The research further was limited to HA/DR operations that respond to natural disasters, specifically earthquakes. John Boyd's concepts helped conceptualize an approach to model time-critical decisions muddled by complexity. The research examined a specific earthquake event to determine the linkages between GEOINT support, timely decision-making, and human suffering. The 7.0-magnitude 2010 Haiti earthquake case study revealed the common operational decisions that require GEOINT support. The Haiti case study also identified factors that delayed HA/DR decision-making. However, Haiti's observations did not fully validate HA/DR requirements. Further validation required comparing a hypothetical disaster scenario with the Haiti experience to determine whether the Haiti lessons could be generalized. The selected scenario focused on a great earthquake near Juba, South Sudan. Using ArcGIS Desktop 10.2, the author populated a geodatabase with real-world GEOINT, designed GIS-based spatial analysis models, and fused the model outputs into a common operational picture (COP). The research revealed three common operational decisions tied to logistics that emerge during HA/DR operations that require GEOINT. The decisions affect campsite selection, food distribution point (DP) selection, and landing zone (LZ) and drop zone (DZ) selection. These decisions must be accurate and occur within the first seventy-two hours after an earthquake. The decisions directly aid survivors while earning the population's support. The South Sudan scenario validated the utility of GEOINT and GIS tools in support of the common HA/DR decisions. The research also illuminated the instructions planners must communicate to GEOINT analysts to enable their work.

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