What Should USSOCOM's Active Duty Civil Affairs Force Structure Look Like in the 21st Century?

The demand for civil affairs specialist throughout U.S. military history has been documented in numerous government reports, military reports, congressional hearings and presidential directives. This research paper will examine published reports and directives, and then link organizational and cultural changes that occurred within the services. Finally, an examination of civil affairs training programs between services will be analyzed in order to determine whether the force is prepared for future joint operations in the 21st Century. This paper will answer the question whether or not civil affairs units from different services and training backgrounds can work in a joint interagency environment with a common lexicon of doctrinal terms, base line training expectations, and skills sets necessary to plan, execute or supervise tactical, operational and strategic civil military operation and activities in the 21st Century. Each service, minus the Air Force has enhanced their CA capabilities in order to comply with NSPD 44 and DoD Dir. 3000.05 requirements. USSOCOM, as the leading Command for Asymmetric and Irregular Warfare must be able to operate in a Joint-Interagency Environment consisting of Special Operations CA Forces, USAR CA, USN(R) CA and USMC(R) CA, and other civilian agencies. The common linkage between these groups is Civil Information Management and Common Core CA training. Therefore, USSOCOM is not prepared to plan and execute strategic civil military / civil military activities in a joint operating environment.