Colonel Irwin Hunt’s seminal analysis of the occupation of the Rhineland in 1918 evokes many of the same issues in civil affairs today – discussed in the new Field Manual and White Paper. The U.S. still struggles to translate battlefield successes into favorable and sustainable political and civil outcomes, while the Regiment still faces difficult operating environments of political ambiguity and operational complexity for security cooperation and conflict prevention as well as the consolidation of security and military gains into political and civil outcomes at strategic, operational, and tactical levels.
This requires all of civil affairs to be organized, educated, trained, and resourced well beyond standard military program requirements. Whether for special operations or conventional forces, the active or reserve CA Soldier or Marine must be at the ready as the Joint Force, Army, or Marine command subject matter expert on civil-military operations. This requires continuous investment in an innovative and adaptive force well networked in planning and operational relationships and persistently engaged and aligned regionally to facilitate political-military goals and objectives.
Given the new crossroads CA finds itself a century since its modern inception, policy and force stakeholders must re-examine the culture for civil affairs. How can the Regiment optimize its force going forward? How can the Army and Marine Corps organize, train, educate, and resource CA forces to shape human security environments, and help the U.S. prevail across the “competition continuum” in the years to come?
From the workshop, speakers, and panel discussions, the Symposium will identify observations and recommendations and review the Civil Affairs Issue Papers for publication at the Roundtable in Washington next April.
To register, click here. Lodging is available on-post on a first-come, first served basis at: https://www.ihg.com/armyhotels/hotels/us/en/reservation
Stay tuned for the Symposium Agenda!
Deadline for CA Call for Papers Extended to the 17th of September. Click here for more info