Civil Affairs Issue Papers Volume 1, 2014-2015 Civil Affairs Issue Papers | Page 130

training and capability gap between the SOF CA FID/ UW battalions and the General Purpose battalions. Now that the SOF CA mission exists entirely on the active duty side and active duty CA has a selection and assessment course and a comprehensive qualification course, that gap has widened considerably. While the active component SOF CA element has expanded from one to five battalions with the creation of the 95th CA brigade, the net SOF CA force structure has not increased from the pre-2006 levels (96th plus four FID/UW battalions). At the same time, the SOF mission has expanded to include the Civil-Military Engagement program. SOF CA Civil Military Support Elements (CMSEs) now work on a rotational basis out of Embassies and conducting persistent engagement in support of the Global SOF Network. The 95th also continues the FID/UW missions supporting Theater Special Operations Commands and maintaining a UW focused CA capability. The active component 85th CA brigade and all of USACAPOC are designated as ‘conventional’ and unable to support the CMSE mission or TSOC requirements, including the FID/UW mission. It goes without saying that the engagement mission will need to be targeted judiciously, but it will also require an increa