In the United States Department of Defense, Humanitarian Civic Assistance (HCA) is relief and development activities that take place in the context of an overseas military exercise, training or operation.
Under the HCA program, U.S. military personnel participating in overseas deployments carry out humanitarian activities such as road and school construction, vaccination of children and animals, and well-digging.
These exercises enhance U.S. military operational readiness by providing unique training opportunities in remote and austere environments.
Forces practice command and control procedures, logistical operations and sustainment over extended distances.HCA activities are now being described as "a key tool in the War on Terrorism.
These humanitarian activities are often preventative in nature, focused at the root cause of ideological extremism, and provide access to regions where traditional military-to-military engagement is virtually impossible.