specialized expertise of enlisted Soldiers. Joint training must be conducted between Active and Reserve
CA, between CA and other DoD elements, as well as
between CA and interagency and intergovernmental
elements. Civil Affairs soldiers will utilize existing
U.S. Government organizational training opportunities, to include an expansion of joint and interagency
Realistic Military Training (RMT) and Innovative
Readiness Training (IRT), and units will expand their
connections to local universities and private/public
sector organizations and agencies in order to support an expanded CA skill set without requiring the
costly development of additional resident CA training
courses within DoD. Many of these recommendations
stem from a systemic failure to adhere to NCO and officer career development plans, which already call for
this type of personal and professional development.
Materiel - Unified Civil Information Management
is the basis for effective continuity between Army
CA’s three major elements (not to mention joint CA
capabilities). A single standardized CIM system is
absolutely vital—contracted and managed by the CA
proponency and linked with other services and agencies. A joint working group would retain the best
aspects of the numerous systems utilized, and ensure
interoperability at all levels throughout program development.
Personnel – Finally and arguably most importantly, without quality soldiers, CA cannot complete
appropriate training and participate in the types of
joint and interagency operations envisioned in this paper. Recruitment and retention must be incentivized,
to include identifying and drawing from functional
experts already within the DoD. Civil Affairs must
market itself beyond the appeal of attending Basic
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