Civil Affairs in Support of the Unified Combatant Command - A Proposal for USCENTCOM (U.S. Central Command)

Abstract

U.S. strategy and policy for low intensity conflict (LIC) is currently evolving. Civil Affairs assets, in addition to their role of facilitating direct support through Host Nation Support to U.S. forces in combat operations, possess functional specialties which can be useful in assisting Third World countries within the USCENTCOM area of responsibility (AOR) in internal development. This paper proposes inclusion of Civil Affairs assets in Humanitarian and Civic Assistance (H/CA) activities as a way of promoting internal development and thereby reducing or eliminating conditions which could be characterized as latent or incipient insurgency within the LIC environment. Such participation would enhance Civil Affairs training and could be used to validate area assessments concerning the availability of needed Host Nation Support within the AOR in support of USCENTCOM contingency operational plans. The program can be accomplished with minimal investment of financial resources, but more importantly can promote U.S. interests in the region for the long term.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 31, 1989
Accession Number
ADA208558

Entities

People

  • Ronald M. Smith

Organizations

  • United States Army War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Availability
  • Civil Affairs
  • Department Of State
  • Environment
  • Governments
  • Insurgency
  • Low Intensity Conflict
  • Military Governments
  • Military Operations
  • Psychological Operations
  • Training
  • Unified Combatant Commands
  • United States
  • United States Central Command
  • United States Special Operations Command
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Joint Military Operations and Doctrine.
  • Military and Counterinsurgency Studies.