Chapter 2
Unity of Effort: Integrating Civilian and Military Activities Essential though it is, the military action is secondary to the political one, its primary purpose being to afford the political power enough freedom to work safely with the population. David Galula, Counterinsurgency Warfare, 19641
This chapter begins with the principles involved in integrating the activities of military and civilian organizations during counterinsurgency operations. It then describes the categories of organizations usually involved. After that, it discusses assignment of responsibilities and mechanisms used to integrate civilian and military activities. It concludes by listing information commanders need to know about civilian agencies operating in their area of operations.
INTEGRATION 2-1. Military efforts are necessary and important to counterinsurgency (COIN) efforts, but they are only effective when integrated into a comprehensive strategy employing all instruments of national power. A successful COIN operation meets the contested population’s needs to the extent needed to win popular support while protecting the population from the insurgents. Effective COIN operations ultimately eliminate insurgents or render them irrelevant. Success requires military forces engaged in COIN operations to— z Know the roles and capabilities of U.S., intergovernmental, and host-nation (HN) partners. z Include other participants, including HN partners, in planning at every level. z Support civilian efforts, including those of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and intergovernmental organizations (IGOs). z As necessary, conduct or participate in political, social, informational, and economic programs. 2-2. The integration of civilian and military efforts is crucial to successful COIN operations. All efforts focus on supporting the local populace and HN government. Political, social, and economic programs are usually more valuable than conventional military operations in addressing the root causes of conflict and undermining an insurgency. COIN participants come from many backgrounds. They may include military personnel, diplomats, police, politicians, humanitarian aid workers, contractors, and local leaders. All must make decisions and solve problems in a complex and extremely challenging environment. 2-3. Controlling the level of violence is a key aspect of the struggle. A high level of violence often benefits insurgents. The societal insecurity that violence brings discourages or precludes nonmilitary organizations, particularly external agencies, from helping the local populace. A more benign security environment allows civilian agencies greater opportunity to provide their resources and expertise. It thereby relieves military forces of this burden. 2-4. An essential COIN task for military forces is fighting insurgents; however, these forces can and should use their capabilities to meet the local populace’s fundamental needs as well. Regaining the populace’s active and continued support for the HN government is essential to deprive an insurgency of its power and appeal. The military forces’ primary function in COIN is protecting that populace. However,
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© 1964 by Frederick A. Praeger, Inc. Reproduced with permission of Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc., Westport, CT.
15 December 2006
FM 3-24/MCWP 3-33.5
2-1