Civil Affairs Association

07/28/2026

If you’re not researching and writing your paper, you may want to start. Deadline for paper submissions is 11 September!
The authors of the five papers selected papers for publication in the 202627 Civil Affairs Issue Papers will get to present them at the 2026 Symposium at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Museum & Library 13-14 November.
First place paper presentation wins $2,500 cash!
To learn more, go to the Civil Affairs Association website.

Call for Civil Affairs Issue Papers: “Civil Affairs: Securing the Victory in New Environments." Submit your work by September 11, 2026.

06/05/2026

With the support of the ROTC Department of Niagara University, the Civil Affairs Association has published Volume 12 of the Civil Affairs Issue Papers on “Redefining Civil Affairs.” In addition to the final report on last fall’s Civil Affairs Symposium, the volume contains the five papers sele...

06/04/2026

Sharpen your minds and your PCs!

The new Civil Affairs Association call for Issue Papers is out! Great summer project to write about the role of Civil Affairs across the full spectrum of peace and conflict, from large-scale combat operations to irregular warfare, stabilization, and conflict prevention.

There's even good money in it: Depending on your presentation at the next Civil Affairs Symposium at the Reagan Museum & Library this 13-15 November, you and your co-writers could win as much as $2,500 for first prize!

U.S. Army Civil Affairs & Psychological Operations Command (Airborne)
95th Civil Affairs Brigade U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School Association of the United States Army - AUSA National Army Irregular Warfare Fusion Center Irregular Warfare Center - IWC Irregular Warfare Initiative U.S. Army War College U.S. Naval War College Marine Corps Civil-Military Operations School Modern War Institute Joint Special Operations University

Last year’s Symposium examined how to redefine the role of civil affairs (CA) in large-scale combat operations (LSCO) as a critical economy-of-force capability that preserves combat power and lethality, consolidates gains, and shapes conditions in the human dimension to “secure the victory” .....

02/10/2026

With the support of the ROTC Department of Niagara University, the Civil Affairs Association has published Volume 12 of the Civil Affairs Issue Papers on “Redefining Civil Affairs.” In addition to the final report on last fall’s Civil Affairs Symposium, the volume contains the five papers selected for publication during the 2025 Symposium.

In addition to the final report on last fall’s Civil Affairs Symposium, the volume contains the five papers selected for publication during the 2025 Symposium:
1. “Organizing for Large-Scale Combat Operations: Consolidation of Civil Affairs Forces at the Division” - Shawn M. Blaydes, J. Mike Teeter, and Walter Ellison II
2. “Redefining Civil Affairs: A Call for Modernization” - John E. McElligott, Robert J. Bruce, and Chris G. Antonov
3. “Seizing the Initiative: The Case for Civil Affairs-Enabled Unity of Command in U.S. Stabilization Efforts” - Ryan McCannell
4. “The Civil Affairs Redefined Image Model and Artificial Intelligence” - Marco A. Bongioanni
5. “Should the United States Adopt a CIMIC Model of Civil Affairs for Homeland Defense?” - Robert Boudreau, Michael Aniton, and Peter Schäfer

U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School U.S. Army Special Operations Command 95th Civil Affairs Brigade U.S. Army Civil Affairs & Psychological Operations Command (Airborne), NATO CIMIC Centre of Excellence - CCOE, Association of the United States Army - AUSA National Joint Special Operations University Center for Army Lessons Learned U.S. Army War College Modern War Institute Irregular Warfare Center - IWC Marine Corps Civil-Military Operations School Marine Corps University

With the support of the ROTC Department of Niagara University, the Civil Affairs Association has published Volume 12 of the Civil Affairs Issue Papers on “Redefining Civil Affairs.” In addition to the final report on last fall’s Civil Affairs Symposium, the volume contains the five papers sele...

01/13/2026

John Nagl succinctly sums up the reasons for our losing martial track record:
“The causes for our defeats are varied, but revolve around three recurring factors: an inability to understand the history, culture, and politics of the countries in which we were fighting; a failure to prepare for the peace that follows the fighting that is, as Saint Augustine taught, the only reason to fight a war in the first place; and excessive belief in our ability to accomplish political tasks through the use of arms.”

All three of these involve , which helps win wars more than battles.

“Secure the Victory!”

Civil Affairs Association U.S. Army Civil Affairs & Psychological Operations Command (Airborne) 95th Civil Affairs Brigade

In “The Pernicious Myth That America Doesn’t Win Wars”, Army Special Forces veteran Mike Nelson asks whether you’re going to believe him or your lying eyes about the recent suc

11/12/2025

Congratulations to Dr. Ajit Kaur Maan of Narrative Strategies, LLC. as the new president of the Miltary Writers Guild.
Dr. Maan, who is a renowned thought leader on narrative strategy and warfare, was the 2024 Civil Affairs Roundtable keynote speaker.

Dr. Ajit Maan!