Ryan Hooper, right, a 7th grade teacher in Philadelphia, making him the first Soldier to be directly commissioned as a civil affairs military government specialist at Fort Hamilton, N.Y., March 19, 2022. 0:56. The CAT was actively involved in the S-9 CIMIC daily line of work and took part in planning and operations. As a reminder, Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, as the cornerstone of NATO, states that an attack on one member of NATO is an attack on all its members. Thomas E. Ricks covered the U.S. military from 1991 . ", (See "The American Interest" article "The Reality of Russian Soft Power" by John Lloyd and Daria Litinova. 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. This is not the case now, as current allied military forces are operating in realms where they have functional authority and capability; U.S. planners have had to relearn, for example, how to obtain host-nation authorizations for movements under stringent Status of Forces Agreements rather than operating with relative independence. In addition to these opportunities, the high north is rife with exercises primed for CA participation. (NATO Standardization Office, 9 November 2018). Also whats the day to day like (hours, days in the field, family time,etc)?? As the only division-level U.S. Army headquarters there, its several down-trace units include the 7th Mission Support Command (MSC). Additionally, they would serve as a force capable of attaching to other SOF elements in the event of contingency operations in the polar regions. One of the main missions for the 21st TSC is to set the theater to bring over CONUS-based units in support of exercises and operations in order to deter aggression against NATO. U.S. CA is the one outlier. Appreciate the input guys. 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. Qatar (21-1112) - Temporary Relocation Transit Agreement. Special Forces battalion, and regional Civil-Military Support Element (CMSE) at the tactical level. CA deploys globally to support a wide array of missions. 0000019204 00000 n In addition to nurturing the winter warfare skills of the high north CATs, the section will be responsible for equipping them as well. Yes, it would be hard to improve up Mike's summary of PSYOP. He charges them with maintaining regular and persistent engagements with the indigenous peoples of the Arctic. While this mandate falls under the purview of Special Forces, in many cases, it would be more resource-efficient and politically palatable to have special operations force civil affairs teams (CATs) expand the competitive space in the northern latitudes. Starting in 2014, NATO has had to redirect focus on countering hybrid warfare in its own AoR rather than out-of-area. Hybrid warfare, although not new, works below the threshold of conventional war.4 It is complex, and adaptive to culture, historical legacies, geography and available political, economic, informational and military means.5 There is increasing evidence that hybrid warriors are waging war via the internet against civil society in the Western world, sowing societal divisions and promoting hyper-polarized politics.6 The major lesson of warfare from the past two decades is that hybrid warfare focuses on population centers.7 Its center of gravity are target civil societies. My two options are CA and SF. The 92nd must address this gap. On 7 April 2020, for the first time, the CCoE presented the CCoE and CIMIC-CA Synchronization Project at the virtual Association Roundtable. endobj DA Pam 600-3 lists qualifications for entry and promotion in . 0000012228 00000 n If deploying CA forces can better understand what CIMIC is, and how they pursue similar objectives, this will go far to prevent duplicative, disjointed, and counterproductive efforts. 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? The U.S., however, is currently not among the CCoE sponsoring nations, and there is no U.S. representation within the CCoE staff. 0000013091 00000 n If CA does SFA as a core mission that's new. What I would add about CA is that it's original, key mission, is to liaison with the civilian environment, and in particular the civil leaders of the area your unit operates in, obstensibly in order to accomplish mission objectives. This process could provide regular institutional dialogue, resulting in a more cohesive operational partnering. )VT~y;f&{1-'oz3'?_^x'YAGR If want after a time to go an then go, Go SF while you are young enough to do it. High north CAT certification will focus on two closely entwined competencies currently absent from the training progression: military mountaineering and winter warfare. Essentially, failure to address this capability gap cedes access, presence, and influence in the region to Washingtons competitors. That said, CA and CIMIC are very similar in some ways, including that they provide commanders a better understanding of the civil component of the operational environment, allowing commanders to address civil factors that enable achievement of military objectives. The 95th Civil Affairs Brigade and its five subordinate battalions are all stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, which is a rapidly deployable unit that only supports the Army Special Operations Command.Each of the five battalions is regionally aligned to one of the five U.S. combatant commands; SOUTHCOM, CENTCOM, EUCOM, AFRICOM and INDOPACOM. NATO can little afford to waste further resources; this could help tip the scales back in its favor. 3 0 obj Supporting this impetus, last years Civil Affairs Issue Papers advised: Fostering a learning organization both within and beyond military command structures and the CA Corps, including allies and counterpart civil-military organizations and JIM [joint, interorganizational and multinational] partners, must be a major CA force development goal.2. %%EOF Can I get information on Psyops, SFAS or Civil Affairs positions in SOCOM? What has your first-hand experien? In most of these countries, CA is operating by, with and through host-nation CIMIC counterparts. All Active Component Army Civil Affairs personnel are Special Operations Forces-qualified and as such undergo rigorous assessment and selection, followed by extensive training in foreign languages, advanced survivability skills, and negotiations techniques in order to operate autonomously as a small team, in any kind. This created issues in managing the perceptions and attitudes of the local population, resulting in overall operational effects that confused rather than positively influenced the same communities they worked ini.e., engagement fratricide.. A reasonable question, re: my "threat" suggestion above, this would seem to be: Just what population groups does Russia intend to deploy its special operations forces to recruit and develop as their "permanently operating fronts" in the polar regions and indeed elsewhere throughout the world? The crucial factor in considering civil affairs in irregular warfare is the opportunity and battle for influence. Some helicopter maintenance and crew members in the 160th SOAR . 0000010530 00000 n Despite the regions location on the geographic periphery, access to natural resources and expanding trade routes underscore the regions importance. Rather, the Modern War Institute provides a forum for professionals to share opinions and cultivate ideas. 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. While they also need to employ effective communication skills, the CA teams bring functional expertise in civilian fields such . In several locations, CATs operate mainly around areas where U.S. forces are based, transiting or exercising in order to mitigate issues that arise from military operations and so ensure minimal impacts on both the local population and on military requirements. 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. Psychological Operations (PSYOP) Soldiers benefit the Army's missions by using unconventional techniques. I'm considering commissioning into one. With the emerging hybrid threats in the Euro-Atlantic Area from Russia and their impact especially on eastern flank NATO Allies, NATO deployed battalion-sized eFP battle groupswith troop formations from Germany to Lithuania, from Canada to Latvia and from Great Britain to Estoniato instill confidence among these frontier states as well as deter further Russian aggression. In cooperation, they serve as Some national CIMIC doctrines have even tried to look at adding CA doctrinal constructs within their CIMIC framework. <>/ExtGState<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 612 792] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> This is the right moment to pursue interoperability, to exploit synergies and to make these two vital transatlantic civil-military and information-related capabilities more relevant, visible and impactful. See the Army University Press Sep-Oct edition of Military Review and, therein, the article " Russian New Generation Warfare: Deterring and Winning at the Tactical Level, by James Derleth). It is also the custodian for NATO CIMIC doctrine and the department head for the training and education of NATO CIMIC. 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. endstream endobj 831 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/Index[66 727]/Length 47/Size 793/Type/XRef/W[1 1 1]>>stream Psychological Operations or Civil Affairs? Both are tailored toward SOF-particular techniques, and therefore bolster SOF interoperability. If, by some course of bad luck you are Non-Select again, then try out for CA. Development of targeted civil-military projects in Baghlan was at first not at all coordinated, and only PRT-embedded CAT activities were eventually coordinated with PRT main LOEs, while those of other U.S. CA forces usually were not until after project implementation. 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. In 2021, the Veterans Health Administration hired the most employees titled Nurse, with an average salary of $101,469. Fortunately, this problem set is not unique to the civil affairs regiment, and low-cost solutions exist within the Department of Defense. Ive got a good understanding of SF but not CA. U.S. forces have had to face some growing pains relearning this new-old norm. The U.S. military, along with many allies and partners, has frequently served in conflict-torn regions, where it has easily dominated the battlespace. Teaching Technology, Innovation, and Great Power Competition at Stanford, Part 5: Lessons Learned. Hence the Textron RIPSAW seems the best choice compared to the Snowcat and the BV206 that are tracked, but can't attack at speed because they generally lack weapons. Any mechanized Arctic War needs to be met with vehicles and airpower that is greater, faster, and offers better ISR than any ground unit. President Biden recently signaled this continuing change, saying that the United States is ending an era of major military operations to remake other countries.. These missions provide the opportunity for CA units to cooperate and collaborate with CIMIC operators mostly on a tactical level, but not exclusively. Any advice or guidance helps. All Civil Affairs (CA) Soldiers who graduate from SOF CAQC should be awarded a " Civil Affairs'' tab. 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). hA 04w\GczC. 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. 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. Tracked UGVs might work but soldiers often don't ride UGVs. There is also the so-called liberal idea, which has outlived its purpose. Additional units saw service in subsequent conflicts. This will require that American (and our allies and partners) special operations forces be trained, equipped, deployed and tasked to work more by, with, and through the more liberal elements of the populations of the world to include these elements in the states laying claim or having ambitions in the polar regions. 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. As a history and philosophy double major, his interests also meshed well with elements of the Civil Affairs mission. But if that is the goal, would ski and snowtroopers be the best forms of attack? 0531: Civil Affairs Noncommissioned Officer. As a NATO-accredited CoE, it supports its seven sponsoring nations,1 plus numerous contributing partners, NATO allies and customers, as directed by the CCoE coordinating committee. Special Operations encompasses Civil Affairs, Special Forces, Psychological Operations, and the 160th SOAR. Probably notand for that the attackers need to cover the most ground in the least possible time via snowmobiles, vehicles, or even jetpacks and hoverboards. The areas most affected would be doctrine, organization and training; how do they need to change in both CIMIC and CA? 0000013947 00000 n I am having a very hard time deciding between the two of these selections. 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. Reach out and we'll help you get there. In this regard consider, for example, the following: " Asymmetrical actions have come into widespread use, enabling the nullification of an enemys advantages in armed conflict. 0000016758 00000 n Required fields are marked *. One such engagement would be realistic military training conducted with organizations such as the Alaska State Troopers and others within the Alaska state government. Both Russia and China are eager to galvanize their positions as key influencers. 1 Sponsoring nations in NATOs CCoE in 2020 are Denmark, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, Latvia, Poland and Slovenia. The authors thank the CCoE, the 21st Theater Sustainment Command and the Civil Affairs Association for the opportunity to publish this paper. It is one of only two active duty civil affairs brigades, reducing nearly half of the force structure for the Army's active duty civil affairs. Bottom Line Thought Based on the Above; From the information that I have provided above, it becomes clear that: a. In a day and age where special operations units have a growing presence in the . 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". Mountaineering by itself does not bestow Arctic capability. Additionally, they will track each teams training pathway, and at the end of the progression, validate that the CAT met the individual and collective requirements to deploy as a high north CAT. For more information, please see our 6, 20192020 (Arlington, VA: AUSA, April 2020), 6. Without the NATO/SHAPE ACOS J9which is the requirement authority in the field of NATO CIMICand the CA proponent and T&E elements at USAJFKSWCS and Special Operations Center of Excellence, this project cannot gain needed traction. 0000008321 00000 n If you join Civil Affairs as a new active-duty or Army Reserve recruit, youll complete a seven-phase training program. Psychological warfare requires adaptability, resilience, and . However, the military strength of nations within NATO is not equal. Introduction 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. Compared with the rest of the PRT, this resource asymmetry proved problematic. Tactical, highly-trained, and physically fit, these four roles each bring a specific expertise to any mission: The face and voice of the team, this Officer is the highest-ranking member and is responsible for planning, coordinating, and leading missions, The most senior enlisted Soldier on the team, the Team Sergeant is responsible for security and protection of the team, This enlisted Soldier leads the team to safely conduct civil engagements, infrastructure evaluations, and day-in-the-life analysis. The combined SEAL pipeline has a 73% attrition rate and the . The Blitzkrieg in the snow via vehicles can easily bypass any SOFs hidden and entrenched as scouts or snipers. Christopher B. Dennis. 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. How I look at both, there seems to be alot of overlap between the two so as I said any help distinguishing them and explaining what you liked about each would be great. In 2021, Italy is becoming a sponsoring nation, while Denmark and Slovenia are ceasing sponsorship. These are the 4 secretive US special-ops units that JSOC gives its toughest missions. 832 0 obj <>stream If you are more hands on and practical, less of an abstract thinker, go CA. 0000061047 00000 n stream The NATO CIMIC training package developed by the CCoE Training and Education (T&E) and CIC branches were shared with USMC CA representatives in Iraq during the 2018 Mosul Storm operation to facilitate Iraqi Force CIMIC capacity building. 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. The annual Adamant Serpent exercise involves a nonstandard infiltration of ODAs to Gotland Island, Sweden. Civil affairs forces serve as a natural bridge among the interested parties. How should I decide between Psyops or Civil Affairs? For many of those, who might be called social conservatives, Russia has become a more agreeable society, at least in principle, than those they live in. 0000006782 00000 n 0000000016 00000 n The CCoE strives for efficient and effective enhanced cooperation platforms. In other words, Putin is expanding Russian power and influence while mounting a cultural critique that resonates with some American audiences, casting himself as a defender of Christian civilization against Islam and the godless, decadent West., (See the National Review item entitled: How Russia Wins by David French.). Building on last year's discussion and the realization that Civil Affairs (CA) can help the Army to better understand strategic competition, this year's theme was "Building a . This would provide a champion on the NATO side. 8 NATO Allied Joint Publication 3.19, Joint Doctrine for Civil-Military Cooperation, ed. 10 Civil-Military Cooperation Center of Excellence, CIMIC Handbook, April 2019, 2021Association of the United States Army, https://www.civilaffairsassoc.org/ca-issue-papers-reports, Underfunding the Army Has Risky Implications, The 1973 Arab-Israeli War: Insights for Multi-Domain Operations, People Who Know, Know MDO: Understanding Army Multi-Domain Operations as a Way to Make It Better, Profile of the United States Army: Direct Reporting Units, Profile of the United States Army: Army Service Component Commands. 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. Do Special Forces members cross train with other Special Forces MOSs? The role of civil affairs in competition below the level of armed conflict could include support to proxy forces, foreign assistance to grow civil institutions in partner nations, or civil reconnaissance operations. NATOs Joint Doctrine for Civil-Military Cooperation, AJP-3.19 (Edition A, Version 1. The SFODAs usually bring along the most valuable skill of all, an understanding of the native language. Used during peacetime, contingencies and declared war . Along with prospective key leader engagements at the NCKLC, a dedicated stand-alone syndicate is planned regarding U.S. CA NATO CIMIC synchronization. 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? U.S. Army Special Operations Civil Affairs 95th CA BDE Medium (11"x21"), Rustic Flag, Wood American Flag ad vertisement by LoveBirdsCrafting. Each course should be considered toward the eventual codification of requirements for high north CAT certification. As part of the Special Operations Forces, active-duty Civil Affairs Soldiers are selected through a tough evaluation process, followed by more training in government, diplomacy, and survival. They make sure Army commanders are aware of what civilian communities abroad might need when caught in crisis zones, while also helping to direct the distribution of humanitarian aid in both combat and non-combat zones. The lack of Arctic-oriented CA capacity can be filled through specially trained and equipped high north CATs, the establishment of a winter warfare section within the 92nd, and increased engagement in the US Special Operations CommandNorth (SOCNORTH) and Special Operations CommandEurope (SOCEUR) areas of responsibility. Relationships and networks being critical, if not decisive, strategic and operational capital in competition, greater institutional and operational CA and CIMIC synchronization makes more sense than ever. 6 Buddhika Jayamaha and Franky Matisek, Hybrid war: attacking the civil in civil society, The War Room,13 April 2018. Rather than portending an end to the need for civil affairs forces, strategic competition should prompt us to think about new and creative uses for this unique skillset. Civil Affairs Soldiers engage and partner with communities around the world, to increase stability, enable local governments, and improve quality of life for civilians. This included reexamining defense funding by European nations and increased deployments of U.S. forces on European territory. Together, these civil affairs forces support relationships with allies and partners through theater security cooperation, disaster response and . Trent Pearson, Bravo Company 407th Civil Affairs Battalion, Minnesota is guided to the mayor's office by the citizens of a fictitious city . Civil Affairs (CA) CA facilitates military operations and consolidates operational activities by assisting commanders in establishing, maintaining, influencing, or exploiting relations between military forces and civil authorities, both governmental and non-governmental, and the civilian population in a friendly, neutral, or hostile area of . Failure to invest in specialized skills severely inhibits full cross-functional team integration. 1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption - U.S. Army Sgt. However, at this crucial juncture, the civil affairs regiment is not prepared to operate in the high north, whether organically or in a cross-functional team. The United States also increased troop presence across Eastern European countries, from Poland to Bulgaria. They are able to conduct global missions in harsh environments that are politically sensitive or even hostile. 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. A significant commonality was how both operated in failing or failed states outside of the NATO area, with non-existent or non-functional governments. This can be overcome through deliberate training to a set standard across US Special Operations Command. This means that U.S. forces in Europe would be the decisive combat power in defense against direct attack under Article 5. 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. While the polar and near-polar regions are divided by nation-states, the population there is not. Other than building relationships that can be quickly leveraged in crisis and competition, this kind of inside knowledge is among the many values-added of in-theater CA forces. The role of Civil Affairs (CA) is to engage and leverage . Under this paradigm, the military can assist only in support of specifically military exercises. Neither should we. NATO has only invoked Article 5 once in its historyin response to the terrorist attacks of 9/11, to support the United States in defending its airspace. This influence opportunity would allow civil affairs to contribute to and align with U.S. strategic goals in advancing regional stability and achieving competition objectives. But when you pass Selection Go civil affairs the play close with sf. Issues of training, mission, and purpose raised in the 2017 Civil Affairs Captain's survey are still prevalent and are costing the Army talent. and our August 27, 2020 SOF News Civil Affairs 0. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Skis, snowshoes, and dog sleds just seem too slow unless stealth is really required or there are IEDs planted which seem unlikely in an invading force. a. Capt. This is particularly true for some newer NATO members, former Warsaw Pact countries that have rebuilt their military forces for conventional threats and are now facing hybrid warfare. Huge institutional and operational cooperation and coordination gaps still need bridging. November 12, 2021. 0000009963 00000 n They're conveniently located at most active-duty Army posts. A U.S. Army Reserve one-star command, the 7th MSC has the 361st CA Brigade, with one CA battalionthe 457th. The two governing doctrines for CIMIC and CA do not cross-reference each another. Under these circumstances, CAs indigenous governance expertise, civil network development, and engagement skills are crucial competencies for any special operations unit operating in the polar region. Indeed, formations cannot simply be re-purposed or provide (sic) add-on capability to be proficient and survive arctic conditions. Instead, they require specialized training and equipment.
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