Noncombatant evacuation operation [r]: In U.S. doctrine, "Operations directed by the Department of State or other appropriate authority, in conjunction with the Department of Defense, whereby noncombatants are evacuated from foreign countries when their lives are endangered by war, civil unrest, or natural disaster to safe havens or to the United States. Also called NEOs (Joint Chiefs of Staff))"; other countries have run similar operations jointly or with allies [e]