CBRN and Hazmat Incidents at Major Public Events: Planning and Response

CHAPTER 11

The Military: Preparing for Military Support to Civil Authorities

Most nations have some CBRN/HAZMAT capability and expertise that resides within the military, typically but not exclusively the army. There is a belief, strongly held in some quarters, that CBRN is a “weapon of mass destruction problem” and is only really addressed by the military. While I think that this statement is mostly untrue for a variety of reasons, there is no question that a “send in the army” mindset does exist. Conditions vary extensively around the world, and this section will have to rely on a few generalizations. Earlier in the introductory section of this book, we discussed the general philosophical differences between the military's outlook and the various civil outlooks. We will not repeat that discussion, but please bear the provisions of Chapter 2 in mind.

THE NATURE OF MILITARY SUPPORT TO CIVIL AUTHORITIES

Relationship between Military and Civil Authorities

Civil-military relations are complex. The politics and practicalities of the use of military resources in civil settings are complicated and very different from country to country. In some places, use of soldiers for peacetime domestic missions is anathema. In other places, it is routine and expected. It is not within the scope of this book to comment upon or analyze where the acceptable boundary between civil and military operations is placed, because the answer will always be different. In any case, real or perceived crisis situations ...