The "small scale" humanitarian side of the military is one that is seldom promoted. But if people think about it, the military is a readily available labor force in the area where problems exist or who can be easily mobilized to do the jobs that civilians are unable or unwilling to do.

Sometimes it's an emergency and no one else can do it, sometimes it's to give a positive image of the military to the public, sometimes it is simply to keep the boys busy and out of trouble