Use of civilian personnel by the military is critical to wartime effectiveness and increases the overall strength of the military. The purpose of this paper is to validate the advantages of permitting civilian volunteers to relieve U.S. military units from performing non-combat functions. The goal was to examine the military's limited capabilities regarding the application of meeting basic human and civil needs, and the benefit of using volunteers to meet these needs. I examined several ongoing operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the mutual benefits affecting both the military as well as the local populous. Additionally, the paper examines the risks of allowing civilians in combat areas, opposing views, and the justification for permitting these humanitarians to help relieve the local population. Lastly, the paper allows the reader to review the symbiotic relationship existing between the military and civilian volunteers.

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