text: ________________________________________________________________________________ FM 2-22.3
  provide information of interest to the local commander or to satisfy the
  requirements of the tasking or request. The HCT also conducts liaison with
  local authorities, coalition forces (if present), NGOs, and others whose
  knowledge or activities may affect the success of the US mission. Any time
  the HCT is outside the base camp, it must be careful to observe the local
  population and report what it sees. The activities and attitudes of the general
  population will often have an effect on the commander’s decisions on how to
  conduct US missions in the area.
  LEVELS OF EMPLOYMENT
  3-14. HCTs may be employed with varying degrees of contact with the local
  population. As the degree of contact with the population increases, the
  quantity and diversity of HUMINT collection increases. In many instances,
  however, there is a risk to the HCT inherent with increased exposure to the
  local population. The ability of the HCT members to fit in with the local
  populace can become very important to their safety. Consequently, the
  commander should consider exceptions to the ROE, as well as relaxed
  grooming and uniform standards, to help HCT members blend in and provide
  additional security. Commanders must consider the culture in which the
  HCT members will be operating. In some cultures, bearded men are more
  highly respected than clean-shaven men. Relaxing grooming standards for
  HCTs in these situations will support the team’s ability to collect
  information. The decision regarding what level to employ an HCT is METT-
  TC dependent. The risk to the collection assets must be balanced with the
  need to collect information and to protect the force as a whole. The
  deployment and use of HUMINT collection assets may be limited by legal
  restrictions, mission-specific orders, directions from higher headquarters,
  and the overall threat level. The four basic levels of employment for the HCT
  are discussed below. Figure 3-1 shows these levels as well as their collection
  potential versus team security.
  Base Camp
  • Restricting the HCT to operations within the base camp minimizes the
  risk to the team. This action, however, minimizes the collection
  potential and maximizes the risk to the force as a whole. While
  restricted to a base camp, the HCT can maintain an extremely limited
  level of information collection by⎯
  (cid:131) Interviewing walk-in sources and locally employed personnel.
  (cid:131) Debriefing combat and ISR patrols.
  (cid:131) Conducting limited local open-source information collection.
  • This mode of deployment should be used only when dictated by
  operational restrictions. These would be at the initial stages of stability
  and reconstruction operations when the operational environment is
  being assessed, or as a temporary expedient when the force protection
  level exceeds the ability to provide reasonable protection for the
  collectors. A supported unit commander is often tempted to keep the
  HCT “inside the wire” when the force protection level or threat