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VICENZA, Italy – U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa’s (SETAF-AF) Civil Affairs (CA) Team Tunisia trained the Tunisian Armed Forces (TuAF) in civil-military operations (CMO) at El Aouina Air Base in Tunis, Tunisia, June 2-13.
The SETAF-AF Civil Affairs Battalion provides training through security cooperation and conducting civil affairs operations to strengthen regional security partners’ capabilities, support crisis response efforts and promote U.S. national security interests within U.S. Africa Command’s area of responsibility.
“CA Team Tunisia supports this mission by partnering with the Tunisian Armed Forces [TuAF] and Brigade des Forces Spéciales [BFS] to enhance their ability to conduct civil-military operations both within their borders and abroad during peacekeeping operations,” said U.S. Army Capt. Cole Gonchar, a civil affairs officer assigned to the CA team in Tunisia. “These efforts also support Tunisia’s national priorities of fighting violent extremist organizations, disrupting illicit trafficking, strengthening border security, becoming the premier regional security exporter, and improving information-sharing through engagement with civilian populations.”
An inaugural Joint Operations Command Course (JOC-C) strengthened the U.S.-Tunisia strategic partnership by building on previous SETAF-AF efforts. A portion of this experience took TuAF personnel’s understanding of CMO from theoretical concepts and provided a training environment for practical application. The JOC-C course also reflects a growing alignment in how both forces understand, plan and execute CMO within the Joint Planning Process, and how they incorporate civil considerations into preparing an operational environment.
“By training shoulder-to-shoulder with our civil affairs team, Tunisia’s JOC-C staff sharpened their abilities to coordinate civil considerations in joint operations,” Gonchar said. “This shared experience enhances interoperability, not only in exercises like African Lion, but also in potential real-world contingencies where unified action is essential, including Tunisia’s involvement in U.N. peace-keeping operations.”
The course also focused on developing the TuAF’s joint planning capabilities and helped coordinate operations between the U.S. and the Tunisian Ministry of Defense (MoD). The JOC-C course sought to build a foundational partnership to formalize CMO for Tunisian civil affairs professionals to ultimately enhance Tunisia's security role in Northern Africa and align with common U.S. and Tunisian goals.
“In wartime, civil-military operations play a crucial role in shaping the operational environment,” Gonchar said. “CMO assists military commanders in understanding the civilian landscape, mitigating conflict with local populations, coordinating humanitarian response, gaining access and influence, and supporting stabilization efforts.”
Gonchar emphasized that civil affairs activities serve to reduce friction, enhance mission legitimacy and enable the successful transition from combat to post-conflict recovery, through building trust and maintaining critical relationships.
While the JOC-C course was a first-of-its-kind training opportunity for TuAF leaders, SETAF-AF CA teams have been engaging with Tunisian military personnel since 2022. Gonchar explained that over the past three years, CA engagement has primarily focused on conducting a series of one-to-two-week CA courses with tactical-level units of the BFS and TuAF. Due to these ongoing efforts and Tunisia’s growing appetite for CA capabilities, SETAF-AF’s Civil Affairs Battalion expanded CA training to a three-week program of instruction for TuAF tactical BFS and conventional units. This period of instruction culminates with a field training exercise that emphasizes concepts students have learned in regional instability concerns and countering violent extremist organizations, as well as a formal, student-led civil analysis briefing.
“Civil affairs integration in Tunisia is reaching a critical juncture, with the MoD expressing interest in institutionalizing CA training,” Gonchar said. “Plans are underway to implement a train-the-trainer program that would enable Tunisian instructors to lead civil affairs operations (CAO) and JOC-C courses at the BFS Special Operations Forces Center of Excellence, with U.S. advisors providing support. This transition represents a major step toward sustainable and independent civil-military capabilities.”
According to Gonchar, conducting this training abroad is also an important factor in how the U.S. Army builds its own CA readiness by exposing Soldiers to real-world, partner-force dynamics, cultural contexts and region-specific challenges they may face in the future.
“Lessons learned in Tunisia refine our doctrine and improve how we prepare CA professionals for global missions,” Gonchar said. “The experience also strengthens our ability to export similar training models across Africa and beyond, by supporting regional security and reinforcing alliances through shared capability development.”
Since the first JOC-C course, CA Soldiers have taught two CAO courses and discussions with TuAF and BFS have explored the possibility of sustained engagement. Seven BFS officers also deployed to Côte d’Ivoire to support exercise Flintlock 2025 as part of the J9 CMO staff, marking their international debut in such a role.
“The U.S.-Tunisia military partnership is strong and growing, particularly in civil-military operations,” Gonchar said. “This collaboration is grounded in mutual respect and reinforced through recurring engagements, shared training objectives, and a commitment to expanding civil affairs capabilities. Courses like the CAO and JOC-C, along with participation in major exercises like African Lion and Flintlock, have helped build enduring relationships and professional trust.”
About SETAF-AF
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