0000008321 00000 n By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. United States Army civil affairs (CA) and NATO civil-military cooperation (CIMIC) forces are key to countering or minimizing threats that hybrid warfare imposes, especially within the battle of influence to control the narrative. Among the issues hindering this contribution is the disparity between CA and CIMIC doctrines. With this larger view of the "threat" now before us, only now, I suggest, can we move on to address the "polar regions" aspect of this such "global" threat, for example, by asking: If as per GEN Gerasimov notes above Russian special operations forces are to be deployed "throughout the entire territory of the enemy states" (for example, throughout the entire territory of states having claims to and/or ambitions re: the polar regions, exs: Canada, Denmark [via Greenland], Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and the United States). Major Csaba Szab, as the Hungarian Army Senior National Representative at the Civil-Military Cooperation Center of Excellence (CCoE), is the CCoE Concept Interoperability and Capability Branch Deputy Branch Chief. Our adversaries are not waiting. SOFs need to create an Arctic Force that can deploy rapidly. q(8c4+oo*}%IW")qN1ePF1Vx+Ex.A% ?^b4|irp/N/+|(7ep#"#Ly~SHGK[dfyebSiTkY4S1h;fOA?qG8byUc>e4 C}~X6r5IsV|"y :=7;&2Jd=VlQy 3 8qiqtRCn$s"-i#jC$*&c^_-kblAFbtK|"c'qjqOlVn{*5_LqoqVgl. Psychological Operations or Civil Affairs? Essentially, failure to address this capability gap cedes access, presence, and influence in the region to Washingtons competitors. They also work to protect civilians and . The planned CCoE CA-CIMIC courses for 2021 form a promising start, but more is needed. If you are more hands on and practical, less of an abstract thinker, go CA. Possibly one of the most pervasive yet irritating missteps that the media and public in general makes about the military is the use of the terms 'Special Operations Forces' (SOF) and 'Special Forces' (SF) interchangeably. The official website of Special Operations Recruiting Battalion SORB. Section 303 (a) Veterinary Corps Officer Special Pay. ; Special Operations are defined as operations conducted by specially trained, equipped and organized Department of Defense forces against strategic or tactical targets in pursuit of . TIAS. The radio and SATCOMs are lightning quick, but to link up with people and scouts, the SOFs will need a vehicle that can do this very well, and that vehicle should be tracked. The notion that soldiers on foot would want to occupy snow and ice seems a bit awkward because what are they going to doguard polar bears? stream Ad vertisement from shop LoveBirdsCrafting. ), Compounding it all, Russias dictator has achieved all of this while creating sympathy in elements of the Right that mirrors the sympathy the Soviet Union achieved in elements of the Left. Once mature, this team of three to six experienced noncommissioned officers will be responsible for certifying high north CATs. endobj In space where conventional state infrastructure is ceded to bottom-up, locally derived systems, CA provides an opportunity to strengthen our allies and partners. Soldiers from the 96th Civil Affairs Battalion, 1st Special Forces Command, were tasked to push this process along, according to Lt. Col. Peter S. Brau, who served as the civil information . These collaborative capabilities would enable great success for NATO in its competition with adversaries and in its crisis response operation to be far more able to see, understand, engage and influence the main center of gravity of competition between the alliance and its adversaries, as well as for crisis response operations. Bottom Line Thought Based on the Above; From the information that I have provided above, it becomes clear that: a. The Civil Affairs Association hosted its annual web-based Symposium, sponsored by Third-Order Effects, Valka-Mir Security and Conducttr, on 8-10 November 2021. ", (See "The American Interest" article "The Reality of Russian Soft Power" by John Lloyd and Daria Litinova. Another 1,100 billets will be added to the reserves. Together, the CCoE and the Civil Affairs Association are in a unique position to be main drivers behind synchronization; as facilitating partners, they are the logical choice to coordinate workshops, finance intellectual capitalization projects and develop relevant courses. What, then, can we expect from civil affairs, given the typical use of these forces has been on remaking efforts like those in Afghanistan? The United States also increased troop presence across Eastern European countries, from Poland to Bulgaria. Rather, the Modern War Institute provides a forum for professionals to share opinions and cultivate ideas. Properly trained and equipped high north CA teams open the door for a variety of engagements within the SOCNORTH and SOCEUR areas of responsibility. It must be paired with dedicated winter warfare training. The CAT was actively involved in the S-9 CIMIC daily line of work and took part in planning and operations. Development of a familiarization course should assist CIMIC professionals with the same understanding of CA. 0000007728 00000 n They are also well-positioned to liaise with them where necessary to gain additional insights to help U.S. forces achieve their objectives. 0000016872 00000 n Within the project frame, the CCoE has utilized a threefold approach to the conceptual, educational and academic LoEs assigned and pursued since then. Stringer states that US Special Forces have a civil affairs opportunity with the large number of indigenous governance organizations and bodies. This begs the question: Why not offer this mission to United States Special Operations Commands dedicated civil affairs (CA) unit? Especially in engaging non-military actors in a more coordinated manner, better adjusted to host-nation constraints and situational demands, NATO-U.S. collaboration of civil-military activities on the ground would also help to enhance host-nation government responses and civilian resilience and preparedness in the face of hybrid and other threats. United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the American Indian Wars. Used during peacetime, contingencies and declared war . 0000009733 00000 n We cannot wait for a crisis to develop this capability. Bottom Line Up Front: Special Operations Civil Affairs lacks clarity in doctrine, mission, and training. 0000001118 00000 n This institutional impetus should stimulateor at least enablethe parallel synchronization of comparative CA-CIMIC advantages, building networked human capital and interorganizational learning and then sharing information to facilitate friendly dominance in influence. A recent example of uncoordinated civil-military activities can be found in the ISAF Hungarian Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Baghlan Province, Afghanistan. It has realized that CA and CIMIC collaboration is a vital component of long-term success in identifying and deterring malign influence and hybrid threats to NATO; it plans to ensure alignment of CA and CIMIC, capitalizing on existing synergies within them, led by the coauthor as the CCoE project officer. Responsible for the teams overall health, this enlisted Soldier provides a medical analysis of an operational area to help plan civil missions. 0000009963 00000 n 832 0 obj <>stream My two options are CA and SF. CA within U.S. Army doctrine structure is referred to as the capability which operates within the human domain. NATO CIMIC also claims to cover this domain. It depends on what kind of person you are. Civil affairs forces have potential uses in strategic competition that remain unexplored. Initially, the entire unit will have to attend this training to build unit capability. While there are clearly opportunities for civil affairs units to contribute within that continuum between cooperation and armed conflict the document does not explicitly mention civil affairs. Like the specialization seen in Special Forces companies, the 92nd should develop one high north CAT per company capable of operating in a polar environment, either independently or integrated with a mountain Special Forces team, or ODA (operational detachment alpha). CIMIC forces, of course, understand this as well; they operate almost entirely under NATO direction, even out-of-area. Huge institutional and operational cooperation and coordination gaps still need bridging. In 2018, the CCoE Concepts, Interoperability and Capability (CIC) Branch initiated the CIMIC and CA synchronization project, which focuses on respective CA-CIMIC cross-familiarization to identify the similarities within the capabilities and exploit existing professional crosswalks in order to enhance interoperability and civil-military mission effectiveness on the ground. The extreme winter conditions that a globally deployable force must prepare for are uncommon at most US military bases. 0000001873 00000 n Also, in 2021, the CCoE CIC branch plans to initiate a new edition of an academic book dedicated to the interoperability topic; it will include a robust discussion of CA-CIMIC synchronization. ISVs and HMMWVs will get their wheels clogged with ice and snow. 1. Psychological warfare requires adaptability, resilience, and . 4 0 obj She has conducted several studies on civil affairs activities, force structure, and impact for the US Marine Corps. Required fields are marked *. Competition below the level of armed conflict, Competition below the level of armed conflict is effectively the same as strategic competition. It is a protracted effort to counter a nation in competition with the United States. This phenomenon occurs with other NATO Allies as well, but to a far lesser extent, as NATO doctrines are usually foundational for many of their ownincluding and especially CIMIC. U.S. CA is by far the largest civil-military cooperation capability in NATO. The first Civil Affairs units in the Army were formed during World War II. Civil Affairs Branch 15 September 2022 1. While these threats continue to evolve (for example, becoming more interconnected with illicit threats such as international criminal networks and working in gray areas within and between national societies), so too must NATO political-military, civil-military and information and influence capabilities. Civil Affairs Officers direct and participate in the conduct of civil affairs command support, foreign-internal defense, unconventional warfare, civil administration, and numerous other missions, both overt and covert, in peacetime or when activated for crisis or war. endobj A, ver. The result is a force lacking legitimacy and facing an existential crisis. 7 Dr. Gunhild Hoogensen Gjrv, Hybrid Warfare and the Role Civilians Play, E-International Relations,2 August 2018. Yes, many Civil Affairs Soldiers are in the Army Reserve and they use their unique professional skills from the civilian sector to support the military and help stabilize conflict areas. Capt. Army Civil Affairs Soldiers work closely in partnership with other government agencies or the militaries of allied nations. The DOD should consider how civil affairs forces might be relevant within each of the three main elements of the continuum as laid out in Joint Doctrine Note 1-19 : cooperation, competition below the level of armed conflict, and armed conflict. The Army has military information-support operations that seek to spread propaganda and demoralize the enemy, along with civil affairs soldiers who serve as liaisons between the Army and friendly . Civil Affairs Team 644, or CAT 644, from the TCMSE worked to partner CA forces with host nation militaries in the Levant region during its rotation from July 2011 to March 2012. He said: We know that there are more and more people in the world who support our position on defending traditional values that have made up the spiritual and moral foundation of civilization in every nation for thousands of years: the values of traditional families, real human life, including religious life, not just material existence but also spirituality, the values of humanism and global diversity. He proclaimed that Russia would defend and advance these traditional values in order to prevent movement backward and downward, into chaotic darkness and a return to a primitive state., In Putins view, the fight over values is not far removed from geopolitical competition. Little had a similar experience. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The articles and other content which appear on the Modern War Institute website are unofficial expressions of opinion. U.S. Army Special Operations Civil Affairs 95th CA BDE Medium (11"x21"), Rustic Flag, Wood American Flag ad vertisement by LoveBirdsCrafting. Will the Arctic War be fought by ski troopers? Insurance in Japan, Manes, Alfred, January 1945. I went to SFAS once and was a 21 day non select. USACAPOC (A) is manned, equipped, trained, organized, and led to provide strategic, operational, and tactical Civil Affairs, Psychological Operations, and Information Operations capabilities to enhance the information advantage and lethality of conventional force commanders to deploy, fight, and win across the full range of military operations . In this region, the lines between traditional government and indigenous governance are blurred, and on-the-ground conditions cannot be divined from capitals thousands of kilometers away. Under this paradigm, the military can assist only in support of specifically military exercises. Your email address will not be published. The annual Adamant Serpent exercise involves a nonstandard infiltration of ODAs to Gotland Island, Sweden. 0:56. The CCoE provides CIMIC with subject matter expertise to support both the transformational process and operational requests of NATO as its main objectives. Civil Affairs Soldiers engage and partner with communities around the world, to increase stability, enable local governments, and improve quality of life for civilians. The Modern War Institute does not screen articles to fit a particular editorial agenda, nor endorse or advocate material that is published. Clayton Hudak is a civil affairs officer in the US Army. Training. A core CA mission is civil reconnaissance, which is the targeted, planned observation of civil factors of the operational environment, providing commanders with crucial information pertaining to the human, physical, and informational domains. As per Figure 3, within the spectrum between cooperation to conflict, Special Forces' role shifts according to the position on the spectrum. They're conveniently located at most active-duty Army posts. 0000019134 00000 n SO AS TO DEAL SPECIFICALLY AND SIGNIFICANTLY WITH THE EXACT RUSSIAN THREAT THAT I DESCRIBE ABOVE? Given these roles, the CCoE places interoperability between CA and CIMIC high on its priority list. Thus, the movies of soldiers in white snowsuits attacking and shooting for what objectives remain elusive. 793 40 Canadas Arctic defense forces are primarily the Canadian Rangers, an overwhelmingly local and indigenous reserve organization. The authors thank the CCoE, the 21st Theater Sustainment Command and the Civil Affairs Association for the opportunity to publish this paper. The essential and enduring role of Civil Affairs. Nurse was the most popular job in the U.S. Government in 2021, with 86,840 employed. Reach out and we'll help you get there. While the polar and near-polar regions are divided by nation-states, the population there is not. Qatar (21-1112) - Temporary Relocation Transit Agreement. In these battles for influence, this would help provide consolidated and harmonized narratives in support of overall Alliance strategic communication activities as well as host-nation needs. Joint Doctrine Note 1-19 references a wide range of activities that could fall under competition below the level of armed conflict, such as diplomatic and economic activities; political subversion; intelligence and counterintelligence activities; operations in cyberspace; and the information environment, military engagement activities, and other nonviolent activities to achieve mutually incompatible objectives, while seeking to avoid armed conflict.. CA and CIMIC are required to perform this synchronization (or at least strive for it) when CA personnel arrive in the NATO area of responsibility (AoR). Special Forces battalion, and regional Civil-Military Support Element (CMSE) at the tactical level. b. The project officer is supported by a Soldier who serves at the 21st Theater Sustainment Command (TSC), a U.S. two-star logistics command based in Kaiserslautern, Germany. However, the military strength of nations within NATO is not equal. The CCoE performance statement utilizes the NATO CIMIC familiarization course (NCFC) for identified NATO internal (e.g., U.S. CA) and external (partner nation) stakeholders, which in turn would lead to the development of a NATO requirement for synchronization. These missions provide the opportunity for CA units to cooperate and collaborate with CIMIC operators mostly on a tactical level, but not exclusively. Coordinated and synchronized training and education solutions could contribute to a better understanding of respective capabilities and comparative advantages from the very beginningbefore a deployment begins. One has to wonder how easy it is to pack snow to create a runway for fighter and attack jetsand FARPs is one of the main goals of Arctic Warfare. All Civil Affairs (CA) Soldiers who graduate from SOF CAQC should be awarded a " Civil Affairs'' tab. As the program develops, other training opportunities such as the Special Operations Advanced Mountaineering School should be pursued. Today, we know these activities as civil military operations, typically conducted by civil affairs forces. This can be overcome through deliberate training to a set standard across US Special Operations Command. Activated on 27 November 1990, the United States Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (USACAPOC) is responsible for overseeing two lesser known areas of Special Operations whose contributions are no less valuable than Special Forces or Rangers. 1 Sponsoring nations in NATOs CCoE in 2020 are Denmark, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, Latvia, Poland and Slovenia. When it comes to Civil Affairs, communications is the keybut then what can the Indigenous Peoples do about invaders? New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Conversely, CIMIC staffs within NATO Force Structure and Command Structure also have a deficit of knowledge about U.S. CA policy, mandates, capabilities and modus operandi. Among such actions are the use of special operations forces and internal opposition to create a permanently operating front through the entire territory of the enemy state, as well as informational actions, devices, and means that are constantly being perfected. The two governing doctrines for CIMIC and CA do not cross-reference each another. I went to SFAS once and was a 21 day non select. Mountainous terrain is prevalent across the SOCEUR area of responsibility, comprising over 35 percent of the continents landmass. Comments will be moderated before posting to ensure logical, professional, and courteous application to article content. a. Civil affairs forces serve as a natural bridge among the interested parties. The areas most affected would be doctrine, organization and training; how do they need to change in both CIMIC and CA? A synchronization project proposed by the NATO CIMIC Center of Excellence (CCoE) would serve as a way to improve collaboration between CA and CIMIC by developing a shared understanding of doctrine, tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) to better contribute to the NATO Deterrence and Defense of the Euro-Atlantic Area concept. In recent decades, CIMIC has worked with CA on several NATO operations where civil-military activities overlapped, despite their differences in operational approaches or deployments schemes. 9.2 Other Special Operations Missions. As Olavi Alakulppi (1915-1990,) a U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel of the Quarter Master Corps once told me, "A mountain climber without a rifle, is not a soldier". They deserve a symbol to recognize their accomplishments, communicate their expertise, and most importantly, foster esprit de corps. TIAS. You can get into a CA/PO now and gain valuable experience. However, as the Armys Arctic strategy, Regaining Arctic Dominance, states, Arctic-capable forces cannot be rapidly developed. CATs are active in exercise support as well as in training and education activities that are conducted with CIMIC units and in conjunction with the U.S. embassies within the countries. To specialize in winter warfare will not come with a diminished ability to map networks or identify and employ civil networks. September 19, 2022. Now, the rightwing nationalists of Europe and North America admire Russia and its leader for cleaving to the past. For 2021, the NATO CIMIC Key Leader Conference (NCKLC) and Community of Interest Workshop (COIWS), planned to be held in Budapest, are the main venues for enhanced cooperation. Either way, being CA or PSYOP does not make you a "cool guy". Deployed and deployable U.S. troop formations, including CA . Image credit: Staff Sgt. While NATO doctrine comes secondary to the doctrines of individual allied nations militaries, most do directly cite NATO CIMIC doctrine. Colorado: Fort Carson 719-524-1461. The S-9 had knowledge of and effected some coordination of CA and CIMIC LoEs elements in Baghlan, which, from an interoperability perspective, was considered very progressive. Discussion of their relevance to each other is not at all reflected within their highest doctrinal references, despite the overlaps in missions, capabilities and practical approachesand their exceptional importance as forces of influence in great-power competition. The hope is that this would prompt reciprocal movement at USAJFKSWCS to complement the CCoEs efforts in, for example, a CIMIC familiarization course for CA. 1st Special Forces Commands A Vision for 2021 and Beyond expressly highlights the need for integrated, cross-functional SOF at the micro level. (The 9% of the populations of the polar regions who are "indigenous" these folks cannot provide us with a way to stand against and "compete" with GEN Gerasimov's special operations forces, and his, their and Putin's mission and strategy that I have attempted to describe above.). CA support of exercises and military activities has stretched the scope of NATO military authorities in several countries, as host nations realize how CIMIC is important in presenting a positive image of their own military forces. Our Swedish partners offer the Basic Winter Warfare Course, which is frequently attended by ODAs. Would hoverboards and jetpacks be a better form of soldier transportation? The second related and very critical mission is to analyze and maintain the civil COP, or what is important in the civil environment to the unit. Canadians have stated that it's so cold in Canada that no one wants to or cares to conquer it because there is literally nothing there of value that can be had really quickone has to dig for gold and diamonds. Civil Affairs/Military Government was established as an Army Reserve Branch on 17 August 1955. . Other NATO allies offer similar courses, and recently 10th Special Forces Group introduced a four-week Winter Warfare Course. 0000015580 00000 n The views expressed are those of the authors, and do not reflect the official position of the United States Military Academy, Department of the Army, or Department of Defense. SOF Primer. These events often require coordination with civilian government personnel to ensure that the activities of the forces involved comport with local laws and regulations and are not disruptive to the local economy. Mountaineering by itself does not bestow Arctic capability. In the Army, the main role of civil affairs specialists is to prevent and mitigate civilian interference with military operations. Any advice or guidance helps. Be within the rank of private first class, specialist, sergeant, or staff sergeant, Meet Time-in-Service and Time-in-Grade requirements, Be eligible for a secret security clearance, Be eligible for a top secret security clearance, Have obtained the rank of first lieutenant or captain.
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