Excess Property Program.

The Department of Defense Humanitarian Assistance Excess Property (EP) Program permits Department of Defense (DoD) to make available, prepare and transport non-lethal, excess DoD property to foreign countries when requested by the Department of State (DoS). The program is authorized by 10 U.S.C., Section 2547. Preparation and transportation of EP is authorized by 10 U.S.C., Section 2551.

Through the EP program, DoD donates and distributes property excess to its needs to U.S. government efforts to avert humanitarian crises, promote democratic development and regional stability and enable countries to recover from conflict. This program can also be used to stave off acute crises and therefore minimize the need to deploy U.S. forces. Examples of EP typically provided include clothing, furniture, medical/school equipment and supplies, vehicles, tools, and construction equipment. Excess property made available for humanitarian relief purposes is transferred to the DoS, which is responsible for the distribution to the intended recipient, normally a nation's government ministry, a charitable organization, or a non-governmental organization.

Defense Security Ccooperation Agency's Directorate of Humanitarian Assistance and Demining (HA-D) manages this program through the regional commanders in chiefs (CINCs) to include the selection, screening, pre-positioning, storage, refurbishment, and shipment of material. The HA-D staff works with the commanders-in-chiefs, DOS-PM/ISP, USAID, DLA, OGC, OASD(ISA) and OASD(SOLIC) to facilitate the review, approval, designation, transportation, and delivery process. Once the program request is submitted, the EP coordinator prepares a program approval document for the Director, HA-D. Funds are from the Overseas Humanitarian Disaster and Civil Assistance Appropriation are provided to the CINCs for approved programs which include the cost of transportation, maintenance, and other operating expenses associated with the movement of EP to recipient countries. Approved requests are transmitted for action to the Joint Staff for execution.

As an example of the extent of this program within a geographic combatant command, the Commander-in-Chief, U.S. European Command had 76 excess property shipments approved for execution in Fiscal Year 2000. Illustrating this article are photos taken at humanitarian assistance projects sponsored by the Department of Defense and managed by the U.S. European Command Logistics and Security Assistance ECJ4's Humanitarian Assis-tance Programs Branch, and overseen by U.S. embassy staff members in countries in the EUCOM area of responsibility.

The Tuareg village of Tinjambane, located seventeen kilometers east of Timbuktu, Mali, is building a three-room school sponsored by the DoD. This community returned to Timbuktu in 1997 after several years as refugees in Mauritania. With the support provided by DoD, the community is able to build using local stone rather than mud, which will greatly extend the useful life of the school as well as reduce maintenance costs. The project is monitored by Africare, an American non-governmental organization directing humanitarian assistance projects in the region.

Carolyn Holmes is the Humanitarian Assistant Programs Coordinator for the USEUCOM HA programs and is the program manager for the DoD excess Property Program. She has 39 years experience in various DoD organizations including six years experience in Humanitarian Assistance. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland University College.