text: Security Cooperation in the Competition Continuum
  options for the combatant command. These forces expand situational awareness through their presence and
  access to key land areas and populations. Their influence assures allies and partners and improves
  interoperability and agility of the multinational force (FM 3-0).
  3-23. Allies and partners can provide security capacity, situational awareness, and expertise in interacting
  with local populations, relieving Army forces of area security operations better suited to host-nation forces.
  Establishing effective liaison with multinational partners through embedded teams, collaborative systems,
  and leader contact is critical to establishing a common operational picture and maintaining situational
  understanding (FM 3-0).
  Supporting and Enabling the Partner FSF to Preserve the Consolidation and Protection of
  Critical Capabilities, Assets, and Activities in Theater
  3-24. Critical capabilities, assets, and activities may include mission and objective-related readiness; force
  projection platforms and infrastructure; and access to decisive spaces and points, lines of communications,
  and information systems. Preserving critical capabilities, assets, and activities is integral for the Army in the
  OPE in competition, and critical to the sustainment and survivability of the multinational force in LSCO.
  3-25. The Army can conduct SC activities to deny enemy freedom of action and to preserve critical
  capabilities, assets, and activities. The adversary will continuously attempt to destabilize the region and
  friendly forces can deter these actions through counter information warfare and counter irregular warfare.
  Army forces conduct SFA and other SC activities with the host nation and partners to preserve the
  consolidation of critical capabilities, assets, and activities in the return to competition and can build up partner
  capacity through these combined efforts.
  3-26. The host nation access that SFA provides enables development of partner FSF protection processes
  that help to characterize adversarial threats and nominate protective denial or defensive countermeasures.
  These efforts can expand the preservation of critical capabilities, assets, and activities through all domains,
  the electromagnetic spectrum, and the information environment.
  RELATIVE ADVANTAGES BELOW ARMED CONFLICT
  3-27. Positional advantage below armed conflict is gained primarily through an expanded global landpower
  network that is comprised of allies and partners. SC is key to gaining positional advantage because it directly
  builds allied and partner capabilities. Capability advantage is gained through the development of capabilities,
  force structure, doctrine, and training.
  3-28. The combination of these advantages along with demonstrations of assured power projection, enhance
  the credibility of military deterrence and enable policy makers to employ diplomatic, economic, and
  information means to prevent a conflict before it starts. SC can be a useful tool to ensure host-nation
  infrastructure and FSF capabilities and capacity are adapted to local conditions so that partner nation security
  forces develop their own capacity to maintain stability.
  INTERAGENCY COORDINATION
  3-29. SC requires varying levels of interagency coordination based on the type, level, and duration of
  activities involved. Even small tactical operations require interagency coordination, most often through the
  SCO with the country team as a part of the combatant command’s routine activities (as part of a campaign
  plan), and in initial phases of an operation (such as deploying flexible deterrent or flexible response options)
  or campaign. Interagency coordination may also be accomplished through a joint multinational force or
  Service component headquarters organization during combat operations and through the SCO as operations
  transition back to civilian control.
  3-30. Interagency coordination for SFA and other SC activities is led by the COM and coordinated through
  the country team. In the rare instance where a COM is absent, such as a country experiencing an irregular
  change in government or the collapse of government, and where interagency has a presence, USAID will
  most likely take the lead for USG and coordinate with the JFC. The strategic and operational-level
  coordination results in planning and resources for effective tactical-level application.