Registration is now open for the Civil Affairs Association’s annual online Symposium on the Civil Affairs Issue Papers theme of “A Force for Winning without Fighting.” Join us on Monday, November 14 and Tuesday, November 15. Registration is free.
The war in Ukraine is affirming the criticality of understanding and integrating civil considerations and contextual understanding to defeat adversaries more quickly and decisively, consolidate and shape a more favorable post-conflict environment, and prevent or deter conflict. As the premier maneuver forces in the psycho-cultural spaces of war and integrated deterrence, Civil Affairs and other like forces that win without fighting must be organized, managed, and resourced with the same seriousness as combat forces.
With an active sense of readiness from their constant forward presence, CA and its NATO CIMIC allies and interorganizational partners can provide civil-military situational understanding, strategic early warning, and superior politico-military decision-making through continuous civil reconnaissance, engagement, civil networking, and civil knowledge integration. They can also gain and maintain a superior learning network from civil-military networks that strengthen alliances and attract new partners, a critical advantage regardless of where in the competition continuum.
How, therefore, should the expanded Civil Affairs Corps integrate institutionally with supported military commands and civilian agencies to become a better force to win without fighting? What changes in doctrine, organization, training, materiel, leadership and education, personnel, facilities, and policy should take place within and beyond current capacities? How should they be prioritized and implemented? What levels of joint, interorganizational, multinational, and commercial coordination are needed?
From the speakers, workshops, and Civil Affairs Issue Papers, the Symposium will help the CA Corps and its institutional and policy stakeholders look at these questions and offer ways ahead. Here is the line-up.
Day 1 (Monday, 14 November)
· Keynote Speaker: Brigadier General Guillaume Beaurpere, Commanding General, U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center & School (invited), “Civil Affairs – A Force for Winning without Fighting” (10-11:00 EDT)
· Workshop I: Civil Affairs Proponent Updates – CA in Joint, Army, Marine Corps, and NATO Initiatives (11-13:00)
· Workshop II: U.S. Army Civil Affairs & Psychological Operations Command (Airborne) Commanding General Major General Isaac Johnson: “Civil Affairs: Shaping in a Competitive Environment” (13-15:00).
Day 2 (Tuesday, 15 November)
· Workshop III: Implications of the New National Security Strategy and National Defense Strategy for Civil Affairs (8:30-10:30)
· Workshop IV: Allied and Multinational Civil-Military Approaches to Winning without Fighting (10:30-12:30)
· Workshop V: Civil Affairs Industrial Base – Wargaming Civil Affairs.
To close out the Symposium, the authors of the five Civil Affairs issue papers selected to appear in this year’s volume will present and, through audience vote, compete for cash prizes of up to $1,000.
To see the detailed agenda and register, go to the Association website – and make sure your subscription information is updated!