APPENDIX
G
CIVIL-MILITARY
OPERATIONS
- Echelon
above division (EAD) units seldom realistically plan for dealing with civilians
on the battlefield, a constant problem for deployed combat service support
(CSS) units. Every deployment includes lessons learned about the number of
civilians with which CSS units must interact. A constant flow of refugees,
homeless, workers, thieves, sick and wounded, etc., will gather at the gates
of CSS units hoping for help in some form. At JRTC, however, corps level units
often enclose themselves within their own concertina prison and fail to take
advantage of the information and assistance civilian officials can provide.
Units must be prepared to deal with the onslaught of civilians without damaging
the relationship with the host nation. Units must maintain a critical balance
of force protection and civilian interface. Units should re-look their plans
and standing operating procedures (SOPs) to determine ways to gain assistance
(particularly intelligence) from locals while still maintaining protection
for the force.
- Integrate
civil-military operations (CMO) into all aspects of brigade and battalion operations.
- The
CMO team should include: civil affairs (CA), psychological operations (PSYOP),
public affairs (PA), and, as necessary, staff judge advocate (SJA), chaplain,
engineer, military police (MP), doctor or surgeon, and veterinarian.
- The
commander, S2, and S3 are also members of the CMO team. They must be involved.
- Use
the targeting methodology in FM
100-6, Information
Operations,
to
plan and execute CMO campaigns.
- CMO
must be proactive. Control the situation; do not wait for a problem to develop
and then react. Get your team into the village/community. Do not lose the initiative
or the respect of the target audience.
- Develop
a consistent information operations (IO) campaign theme. PA publicizes Army
activities to the United States; CA publicizes them to host nation civilians
and government leaders; PSYOP publicizes them to potential adversaries. If
these messages are not consistent, the audiences will realize that and the
CMO effort will lose credibility.
- Take
advantage of everyday events to publicize Army successes. During stability
and support operations (SASO), if you just cleared a minefield or repaired
a bridge, for example, take photos and issue a press release. The enemy knows
you did it (or soon will anyway), and it looks good to the host nation civilians.
It also lets family and friends in the United States know what you are doing.
This boosts home-front morale.
- Every
soldier MUST know the Rules of Engagement (ROE). The CMO team must also know
the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA).
- Coordinate
the activities of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) operating in your area.
This may not be easy, as they have their own political agenda. Many times they
are all trying to service the same portion of the civilian population, while
other portions are going without service. If you can "gently persuade" a redirection
of service, then everybody wins -- the Army, the NGOs, and, most importantly,
the local civilians. It will also reduce civilian demands for services from
the Army.
- Avoid
making promises to local civilians without first checking with the commander
and SJA. Civilians will expect you to keep any promise or commitment that they
BELIEVE you have made. Your credibility will decrease if you are unable to
keep the commitment because resources are not available or law prohibits the
action.
- Avoid
direct support to local civilian populations. Feed one civilian and you may
have requests to feed thousands. At the same time, use good judgment and apply
the information operations (IO) campaign theme. Feeding those thousands of
civilians (preferably via an NGO) may be the right solution to a real or potential
civilian problem and may make civilians more prone to do the Army's bidding.
- Local
civilians will act in their own perceived self-interest. That self-interest
may not, and probably will not, agree with the desires of the commander.
- Use
host nation resources whenever possible. If a situation requires police support,
for example, try to obtain local police assistance to work with the MPs, rather
than use the MPs alone.
- Treat
local civilians with respect. Always remember that wherever you are operating,
it is their country. They own the land, the roads, the buildings, and the raw
materials. Every action the commander wants to take will impact on civilians.
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