Army publishes civil support operations field manual

By Training and Doctrine CommandSeptember 3, 2010

FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (Army News Service, Sept. 3, 2010) -- The Army recently released Army Field Manual 3-28 which follows FM 3-0 and expands on the fourth element of full-spectrum operations: civil support.

The Combined Arms Center's Combined Arms Doctrine Directorate produced the new 280-page field manual called "Civil Support Operations." The document is available now online in PDF format.

The document details the conduct of civil support operations include planning, preparation, execution and assessment of operations conducted within the United States and its territories. The document also details the role of Army forces within the domestic operational environment, with particular emphasis on how operations conducted by Army forces within the U.S. differ from full-spectrum operations conducted overseas.

The primary focus is on the operational Army that conducts civil support operations (battalions, brigades, division headquarters and Army service component headquarters) in an environment shaped by federal, state, local and tribal organizations.

The new field manual also explains the reasons for the division of forces into a regular Army, the Army Reserve and the National Guard, in addition to providing a range of considerations for all three components.

The Army has a long history of civil support operations. In any given year, thousands of Soldiers provide support to civilian agencies in missions ranging from disaster response to support for major sporting events. As with all such civil operations inside the United States, the Army conducts operations under civilian control when they are requested to do so.

This Army FM 3-28 provides the information necessary for Soldiers and civilians to understand what makes operating in the civil environment environment so different.