Civic action program

The U.S. military has an activity similar to civic action programs called a medical readiness training exercise (MEDRETE).

These 13 man teams would construct schools, drill wells or build clinics creating a positive image or rapport for the U.S. in the developing world.

Then in the early sixties the U.S.Army Special Forces were being sent into rural areas of South Vietnam to develop a self-defense force to counter the Communist threat and making use of the Seabee teams at these same places made perfect sense[5] While Vietnam went on the teams were still being sent to other nations.

In the summer of 1965, United States military medical personnel conducted MEDCAPs to help the Government of Vietnam provide out-patient health services to the South Vietnamese population.

[8] By 1968, the United States military fielded eight MILPHAP teams from the army, seven from the Navy and seven from the air force.