Organizational Implications of Long-Term Civil–Military Cooperation During COVID-19: A qualitative study

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries deployed armed forces to national health care facilities to handle an overwhelming patient flow. In contrast to previous domestic military deployments, the support missions lasted for almost two years in many countries. Most research on civil–military collaboration focuses on short-term partnerships and identifies challenges and opportunities of the common effort. However, little is known about the effects of prolonged civil–military cooperation (CMC) on the involved organizations. We conducted interviews with 34 participants who were involved in CMC during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands. The study reveals the existence of organizational interests apart from the common goal of coping with the patient flow, lack of clarity in the military’s position as last resort or first responder, and competing organizational priorities causing dilemmas. Clear prioritization of military tasks and transparency in expectations are key to ensuring that prolonged CMC remains beneficial and supported by both partners.