text: Chapter 3
  * Provide personnel augmentation to other partners.
  * Support and reinforce efforts of other partners by synchronizing information-related capabilities
  and engagements.
  3-141. A major challenge is synchronizing efforts, both top-down and bottom-up, to improve host-nation
  capabilities. Local bottom-up efforts often begin earlier and are more critical for immediate impact on
  stability, but centralized top-down programs are necessary for long-term sustainability. Subsequent top-
  down efforts may conflict with or undermine multiple diverse bottom-up efforts that have already begun.
  Flexibility is required to integrate existing dissimilar local efforts with newly created centralized programs.
  The choice of partners must be made with care and with considerations that are more than just military.
  Potential partners may have questionable legitimacy because of past actions or current behavior.
  Additionally, Army units have limited authority, responsibility, and capability to influence other partners.
  Finally, other mission priorities such as daily operations limit an Army unit’s ability to focus on building
  the capacity of other partners.
  THE ROLE OF CIVIL AFFAIRS IN OPERATIONS FOCUSED ON STABILITY
  3-142. Civil affairs forces support unified land operations in every environment across the range of
  military operations. They are essential to the conduct of successful operations focused on stability. Civil
  affairs personnel provide unique area and linguistic orientation, cultural astuteness, advisory capabilities,
  and civilian professional skills that generally parallel those of host-nation governments. They provide the
  commander with specialized expertise on the civil component of operational environments. The
  commander draws on this expertise to analyze and influence the human dimension through specific
  processes and dedicated resources and personnel.
  Civil Affairs Forces
  3-143. Civil affairs forces mitigate or defeat threats to civil society and conduct responsibilities normally
  performed by civil governments. Civil affairs forces engage and influence the local civil populace by
  planning, executing, and transitioning civil affairs operations in unified action environment. Civil affairs
  forces support these operations by addressing civil considerations within the operational area before,
  during, or after a conflict or disaster. Civil affairs forces help to shape an operational environment by
  interacting with the local populace to facilitate military operations. A supportive local populace can provide
  valuable resources and critical information that supports friendly operations. A hostile local populace
  threatens the immediate success of military operations and may undermine domestic public support for
  those operations. When executed properly, civil affairs operations reduce the tensions between the local
  populace and the military force.
  Civil Affairs Operations
  3-144. Civil affairs forces conduct operations that support and are nested within the overall mission and
  commander’s intent. Civil affairs operations improve the relationship between military forces and host-
  nation authorities in areas in which the military force operates. They involve applying civil affairs skills to
  areas normally under the responsibility of a host-nation government. Civil affairs operations establish,
  maintain, influence, or exploit relationships between military forces and all levels of host-nation
  governments and officials. These operations are fundamental to completing stability tasks successfully.
  3-145. Civil affairs organizations and personnel develop detailed assessments based on civil
  considerations. These include information about infrastructure, civilian institutions, and attitudes and
  activities of civilian leaders, the local populace, and host-nation organizations. These assessments may
  reveal that a viable host-nation government does not exist or cannot perform its basic civil functions. In
  such cases, military forces may support or implement transitional military authority until a legitimate host-
  nation government is established. (FM 3-57 and JP 3-57 provide doctrine on civil affairs.)
  3-146. Civil affairs operations help ensure the sustained legitimacy of the mission and the transparency
  and credibility of military operations. Civil affairs operations minimize the effects of military operations on
  the local populace, limit how civilians affect military operations, and provide advice to commanders on the
  legal and moral obligations of the force.