Civil Affairs - Building the Force to Meet Its Future Challenges

Download or read book Civil Affairs - Building the Force to Meet Its Future Challenges written by and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 30 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Civil Affairs (CA) forces and the capabilities they provide to commanders on the battlefield are critical enablers to winning the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Since the beginning of the wars, Army Reserve CA Soldiers assigned to the U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (USACAPOC), the Army's conventional CA force provider, have mobilized continuously in support of these operations. Unable to sustain theater force requirements, other Army Reserve forces and personnel from the Navy and Air Force were cross-trained to perform this mission. Future indications posit an increase in destabilizing factors such as ungoverned spaces and failing states. U.S. policy and doctrine see the Army mitigating these threats through shaping the global environment to reduce instability across the international system. Civil Affairs Operations (CAO), throughout the entire spectrum of conflict, are at the forefront of this doctrine and policy. This paper examines how CA forces have evolved since September 11, 2001, discusses their roles in Afghanistan and Iraq, and provides recommendations for the force to meet its future challenges.