Marine Corps Civil Affairs Group

Mission - Tasks - Organization - Concept of Employment

Mission

The Civil Affairs Group (CAG) provides special staff support to the Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) during the planning, assault and consolidation phases of landing operations in naval campaigns, and may be utilized across the operational spectrum. It plans, advises, coordinates, conducts, supervises, and evaluates activities between military and civilian forces in order to minimize mission interference, and to maximize civilian support for landing force operations. These activities include interaction between the MEF and inhabitants; Host Nation civil, police, and military authorities; U.S. non-military agencies; and a wide variety of non-governmental organizations (NGO’s). The CAG supports the MEF’s careful attention to local culture, customs, and traditions, in order to facilitate military operation and reduce friction.

Tasks

1. Assist in planning and conducting landing force operations.
2. Assist in planning and conducting Civil Affairs (CA) activities, to include Civil-Military Operations (CMO).
3. Control subordinate CA units when assigned.
4. Plan and conduct survey, liaison and reconnaissance efforts to initiate and conduct CA activities.
5. Coordinate with appropriate staff officers at higher, adjacent, and lower commands.
6. Coordinate with non-Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) organizations and authorities.

Organization

A CAG is normally organized into a Group Headquarters and three Civil Affairs Detachments. The commanding officer and Group Headquarters provide CA support to the MEF, while detachments are designed to support units of the MEF to include the MEF Forward (FWD). Each detachment is further organized into International Law, Public Health, and Displaced Persons/Refugee functional teams, in addition to three CA Teams, which can be placed in support of Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) sized elements. There are no active duty CAGs in the U.S. Marine Corps; however there are two reserve CAGs assigned to Marine Forces Reserve (MARFORRES). The 3rd CAG is located aboard Camp Pendleton, California and is under control of Marine Forces Pacific (MARFORPAC). The 4th CAG is located aboard Naval Station Anacostia in Washington, D.C. and is under the operational control of Marine Forces Atlantic (MARFORLANT). Both CAGs provide support to active duty headquarters – both in real-world operations and exercises – on a constant basis through a variety of means and funding sources. The majority of billets are for Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) 0107 (CA Officer) or MOS 8441 (CA Non-commissioned Officer). There are secondary MOSs so members bring a wide variety of primary MOSs, skills and experience to the CAG. Total personnel include 38 Marine and 4 Navy officers and 85 Marine and 1 Navy enlisted.

Concept of Employment The CAG is organized to conduct CA activities in support of the MAGTF mission and this may include CMO. Normally, these activities do not include sustained military or nation building/rebuilding operations. Whenever the MAGTF is in an inhabited area, civilian populations will impact operations. CA elements and personnel are economy of force measures, intended to apply a few Marines with special perspective and training to the MAGTF’s planning and execution of operations. The CA staff element serves to promote civilian actions and attitudes helpful to the MAGTF and to minimize actions and attitudes harmful to the MAGTF. Typically, the assigned CA staff prepare estimates, agreements, and annexes in accordance with the Joint Operations Planning and Execution System (JOPES) which support the commander’s plans and mission accomplishment. CA activities always support the commander’s legal and moral responsibilities under international and U.S. law.

The MAGTF Operations Officer (G-3 or S-3) has primary staff cognizance over the CA efforts at the Command Element (CE). Subordinate units plan and execute CA activities when useful or as directed, and may be assigned their own supporting CA elements or personnel. At the MEF level, the CA element may receive substantial direction from the Joint Force Commander’s CA staff element or Joint Civil-Military operations Task Force if organized. Coordination with all staff elements is important, but special consideration should be made to coordinate with Public Affairs and Psychological Operations staffs to support a common Information Operations campaign. Once the MAGTF is established ashore, CA forces may establish a Civil-Military Operations Center (CMOC) which serves as the focal point of coordination between MAGTF and civilian planners.

While the CAGs are capable of limited self-administration, they depend on the supported unit for logistic, information systems, and communications support.

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