The involvement of military units in emergencies is not a twenty-first century invention. For ages, armies have supported civilian authorities in relief efforts through their unique capabilities. In 2005, following several natural and man-made disasters, the government of Spain decided to create a new permanent unit within the national civil protection system. The Unidad Militar de Emergencias or Emergency Military Unit (UME) had to have special capabilities beyond the traditional kinetic and lethal ones. Eight years later, the new unit has reached its full mission capability. However, do their unique capabilities fulfill the civil requirements for major disasters and add value within the system? This study addresses the UME preparation and readiness to accomplish a defined military requirement pattern requested by civil authorities defined by US case studies. The first section of the paper provides a description of the UME within the national civil protection system. The second section examines the three US case studies Hurricanes Andrew, Katrina, and Sandy to look for the pattern. The third section of the paper presents the comparison of the pattern with the current UME capabilities, and therefore the value within the system.

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. The opinions and conclusions expressed herein are those of the student-authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College or any other governmental agency. (References to these studies should include the foregoing statement.)