III. CIMIC in operations
3.4. CIMIC support to land tactical stability operations
CIMIC support to BDE during stability activities
Within a BDE AO, stability activities or even operations are usually conducted before and after offensive and defensive operations. However, stability activities can also be conducted in parts of the BDE AO during offensive and defensive operations, usually in the Rear.
Providing stability is classically a responsibility and privilege of the HN. For a stable operating environment, the following civil factors are important:
1) Provision of government services
2) Provision of basic needs (water, food, health, energy, shelter)
3) Security & Protection
4) Populace control (including attitude and posture of minorities)
On the tactical level, the categories of the seven baseline requirements (7BLR, known from the resilience through civil preparedness concept/ RtCP)[1] serve as a suitable framework that includes all categories needed for a stable civil environment.
1) Continuity of (local) government (including government services, security, protection and populace control)
2) Ability to deal effectively with mass casualties
3) Ability to deal effectively with large population movements (including controlled evacuation)
4) Resilient food and water supplies
5) Resilient transportation network
6) Resilient communication network
For Warfighting scenarios, the 7BLR provide a useful framework along which the capability of a HN to project stability can be assessed.[2] Considering the time-factor on BDE level, analysis on the full spectrum of 7BLR might be too comprehensive to assess stability in the BDE’s AO. However, assessments can be reduced to the most critical factors: food, water,
health (in particular: life, limbs, eyesight), shelter, protection from harm (MH). MH and FABN play an important role here.
CIMIC Staff would just receive all required information from a HN authority and could focus on other areas and activities. However, as described above, there is a risk that HN cannot be fully capable of providing all critical services and goods. CIMIC needs to identify if and how support to the HN can be provided. In the worst case, the force will have to manage the most critical issues by itself or
accept calculated risks.
[1] See Chapter 7 for more information
[2] This framework of 7BLR is another one besides PMESII/ ASCOPE. It has to be decided according to which framework, information has to collected and processed. PMESII/ ASCOPE is more comprehensive but 7BLR provide quickly the status and capability of a HN within a specified AO. Considering the time-factor on tactical level, 7BLR appear more efficient in kinetic operations.