Denton Program

The Denton Amendment (named in honor of former Navy pilot, Vietnam prisoner-of-war and Alabama senator) legislatively passed in 1987. The Denton amendment grants the Secretary of Defense the approval to delegate shipments of humanitarian supplies provided by nongovernmental organizations and nonprofit organizations to nations, without any added cost to the nation receiving supplies or the Department of Defense. 

Jeremiah Denton was widely known for enduring almost eight years of grueling conditions as an American prisoner of war (POW) in North Vietnam after the A-6 Intruder he was piloting was shot down in 1965. He was the first of all American POWs held captive and released by Hanoi to step off an American plane during Operation Homecoming in February 1973. As one of the earliest and highest-ranking officers to be taken prisoner in North Vietnam, Denton was forced by his captors to participate in a 1966 televised propaganda interview which was broadcast in the United States. While answering questions and feigning trouble with the blinding television lights, Denton blinked his eyes in Morse code, spelling the word "TORTURE"—and confirming for the first time to U.S. Naval Intelligence that American POWs were being tortured.

In 1980, Denton ran for a U.S. Senate seat from his home state of Alabama. In the primary election, he achieved a surprise victory over the opposing candidate and in doing so, became the first retired Navy admiral elected to the United States Senate. 

In 1981, he founded and chaired the National Forum Foundation. Through his National Forum Foundation, Denton arranged shipments of donated goods to countries in need of aid.

The Denton Program was enacted in 1985. Acting as an advisor on Latin American affairs during a communist insurgency taking place in South America, Denton noticed how poverty stricken these countries were. He made a proposal to Congress to allow non-government agencies to use available space on military airlifts to ship cargo to these countries. After Sept. 11, 2001, this included Iraq and Afghanistan as well.

In FY 2010, nearly 2 million pounds of humanitarian goods were sent to eligible countries through the Denton Program. 

Today, the Denton Program provides transportation for approved humanitarian assistance commodities destined for approved countries that are supported by DoD transportation services, and where civil systems, local infrastructure and the supply chain will support immediate onward distribution of the commodities.

Sources: Wikipedia, Joint Base Charleston Public Affiars, and OHASIS Ha-Transportation website 

Weight Minimum/Maximum: 2,000 lbs./100,000 lbs. (some countries may have lower limits)

Eligible Commodities: Commodities must be humanitarian in nature, such as Agricultural Equipment, Medical Items, Educational Items, Vehicles, Canned Food, Clothing

Prohibited Commodities: Hazardous Items, Time-Sensitive Cargo, Live Cargo, Religious Items, Perishable Items, Food (if not canned), Items that do not meet a Legitimate Humanitarian Need

Applicant Responsibilities: Storage, Cargo Preparation, Local Transportation (U.S. and Destination Country), Duty-Free Clearance, Beneficiary Description and Distribution Plan, Consignee Identification

Average Application Processing Time: 4-6 weeks