In 2005, the Office of the Secretary of Defense
(OSD) directed the expansion of AC CA capability by
creating an AC CA brigade, consisting of one HHC
and five CA battalions, focused primarily on Special
Operations missions. Three years later, OSD directed
the creation of a second AC CA brigade, also with one
HHC and five CA battalions, but placed in the General Purpose Force to meet perceived shortfalls in the
USAR CA force.23 At full strength, and given enough
lead time, this brigade could train and deploy with up
to one corps headquarters, five division headquarters,
and 25 brigade combat teams for an overseas contingency operation. If the operation required USAR CA
unit rotations and OEF/OIF BOG policies are reinstated, subsequent rotations will again be out of synchronization. To strengthen the relationships between
supported commanders and supporting CA forces, reduce unsynchronized deployments, and increase mission success, the Army must advocate mobilization
and deployment policies that maximize USAR CA
unit mobilization times and align AC/RC BOG times.
In Summary
CA capabilities must be preserved by the Army,
exercised by supported commanders, and strengthened by continued integration into Army DOTMLPFP initiatives and changes to DoD deployment policy.
Redefining the term “Civil Affairs” as presented in
this paper serves at least two purposes: it returns the
term to its grammatical and historical roots; and, it
clarifies the concept of Civil Affairs for commanders
and their staffs. More importantly, it helps define the
purpose of CA forces and activities in a way that a
supported commander can appreciate. Commanders
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