Enabling Theater Security Cooperation Through Regionally Aligned Forces

Enabling Theater Security Cooperation Through Regionally Aligned Forces
Author: Kristian Matthew Marks
Publisher:
Total Pages: 47
Release: 2013
Genre: National security
ISBN:

The Army developed its Regionally Aligned Force initiative as a response to a changing strategic environment as well as a way to ensure that the Service more effectively meets the requirements of the geographic combatant commanders. This Army initiative is expected to provide combatant commanders a force that will bring additional capability, capacity, and continuity to their theater security cooperation programs. While there are numerous benefits for the Army and the geographic combatant commanders in successfully implementing this initiative, the Service and the Department of Defense will have to overcome several significant challenges for the Regionally Aligned Force to become a viable force employment concept. This research project first explores the strategic context and background of the Regionally Aligned Force concept development, then discusses the qualities of these forces, next examines the potential benefits they will bring to a combatant commander, and concludes by considering some of the most significant challenges with implementing the initiative as well as recommendations to help ensure its success.

Theater Security Cooperation

Theater Security Cooperation
Author: United States Army
Publisher: Independently Published
Total Pages: 48
Release: 2017-01-20
Genre:
ISBN: 9781072708742

The military engagement team (MET) conducts security cooperation engagements with regional military partners in the designated Army Service component command (ASCC) area of responsibility (AOR). These engagements develop relationships and enhance partner capabilities and interoperability, thereby supporting regional stability and security. The purpose is to expand the ASCC's access and influence in the AOR. The MET utilizes its extensive military and civilian skills to promote conditions for cooperation, regional security, and regional stability one engagement and one relationship at a time.The MET is guided by country plans and coordinated efforts involving the ASCC; regionally aligned forces (RAF); and country desk officers (CDOs), military assistance programs, and the Offices of Military Cooperation within the U.S. Embassy. These programs all fall under the umbrella of international military affairs (IMA). The MET succeeds when it enhances the relationships between the ASCC and regional military partners, increases partner nations' interoperability and capability, and contributes to regional security and stability. There is currently one permanent MET assigned to United States Army Central Command (ARCENT) and stationed in Kuwait. The ARCENT MET is active in the Middle East and Central Asia.

Regionally Aligned Forces

Regionally Aligned Forces
Author: Army War College (U.S.). Press
Publisher:
Total Pages: 154
Release: 2015
Genre: Military planning
ISBN:

"The Army defines Regionally Aligned Forces (RAF) as: 1) those units assigned or allocated to combatant commands, and 2) those service-retained, combatant command-aligned forces prepared by the Army for regional missions. They are drawn from the total force, including the Active Army, the Army National Guard, and the Army Reserve. RAF consist of organizations and capabilities that are forward stationed, operating in a combatant command area of responsibility, and supporting (or ready to support) combatant commands through reach-back capabilities from outside the area of responsibility. Furthermore, RAF conduct operational missions, bilateral and multilateral military exercises, and theater security cooperation activities. In theory, the RAF concept provides a scalable, tailorable capability to meet combatant commanders' steady-state and phase zero shaping requirements. Additionally, the RAF concept improves the Army's ability to provide culturally and regionally aware forces for specific missions. As U.S. bases overseas are reduced, the challenge will be to maintain robust regional engagement. The RAF concept is designed to meet this challenge ... As with any new management concept, however, adopting RAF comes with both opportunities and challenges. RAF provide the Army with planning predictability, i.e., the ability to provide forces to the combatant commander if and when needed. Forecasting operational requirements more effectively will enable the Army to better anticipate costs and prioritize budgets. In order to mitigate the effects of reduced budgets, the Army will continue to reduce its overall end strength. Reduction initiatives will require the force to be efficiently manned, trained, and equipped to meet global security requirements. The RAF concept provides a fresh and responsive means for managing the force, while providing better support to the combatant commander"--Executive summary.

An Introduction to Theater Strategy and Regional Security

An Introduction to Theater Strategy and Regional Security
Author: Clarence J. Bouchat
Publisher:
Total Pages: 68
Release: 2007
Genre: Security, International
ISBN:

Theater strategy and theater security cooperation are two of the most important tools available in attaining national security. They offer an effective means for geographic Combatant Commanders to engage other countries, deter aggression, or resolve crises. However, there is little current, concise, and comprehensive guidance on how they are planned and implemented. This paper explains what theater strategy is, its basis, how it is formulated, and how it is executed with emphasis on theater security cooperation. The author illustrates the role in national affairs of theater strategy and security cooperation through examples from a case study leading up to and during Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.

Army Techniques Publication Atp 3-93 Theater Army Operations November 2014

Army Techniques Publication Atp 3-93 Theater Army Operations November 2014
Author: United States Government US Army
Publisher: CreateSpace
Total Pages: 96
Release: 2015-08-24
Genre:
ISBN: 9781517026790

This publication, Army Techniques Publication ATP 3-93 Theater Army Operations November 2014, addresses the theater army's role in the Army operating concept. It describes how the theater army performs its primary role of Army Service component command to the geographic combatant command and how that role-with all of its required functions, tasks, and responsibilities-is executed in support of all phases of the six-phase joint operation construct. It expanded the discussion to include the concepts of theater security cooperation, force-tailored Army forces, and regionally aligned forces, and sustainment concept of support. All concepts are integral to a theater army fulfilling its role in the Army operating concept. ATP 3-93 aligns with FM 3-94 on key topics while expanding on specific topics. These topics include discussions of theater army as an ARFOR, the theater army's execution of Title 10, combatant commander's daily operational requirements, an operational environment, operational variables and mission variables, setting the theater, and setting the joint operations area. ATP 3-93 contains eight chapters: Chapter 1 provides an overview of theater army to include its roles, functions, and tasks. It discusses the Army as an echeloned force and geographic combatant commanders. It discusses Service component responsibilities and the theater army's relationship with other echelons above brigade forces. The chapter concludes with a discussion regarding support from other Services. Chapter 2 provides detailed information regarding the structure of the theater army. It discusses the structure of the theater army headquarters, main command post, contingency command post, and headquarters and headquarters battalion. Chapter 3 provides details on the primary combatant commander's daily operational requirements performed by the theater army. It discusses Title 10 and administrative control of Army forces. It discusses infrastructure assessment and development. Lastly, it discusses developing the concept and operation plans. Chapter 4 provides an overview of setting and supporting the theater of operations. It covers sustainment preparation, theater security cooperation, regionally aligned forces, and training. The chapter discusses operational contract support and establishment of links in support of theater operations. Chapter 5 outlines setting and supporting the joint operations area. It discusses the Army presence and theater army support to the ARFOR. It details communications and enabling capabilities. It also discusses support to special operations forces and force protection. The chapter details Army force generation, sourcing mission requirements, and tailoring Army forces. Chapter 6 discusses sustainment support. It discusses common-user logistics, theater sustainment command, and expeditionary sustainment command. It then discusses Army field support brigades Army contracting command, and medical support. It also discusses reception, staging, onward movement, and integration as well as multinational operations. Chapter 7 discusses the theater army in its role as joint task force or joint force land component command. It details the theater army design and the contingency joint task force headquarters. It examines historical examples and hypothetical scenarios. Lastly, it discusses very large-scale operations. Chapter 8 details theater enabler organizations. It discusses enabling capabilities and the military intelligence brigade. It details several commands. Next, it discusses chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high-yield explosives support. It also discusses other organizations for theater support. There are two appendixes. Appendix A discusses defense support of civil authorities. Appendix B lists Army executive agent responsibilities.

An Introduction to Theater Strategy and Regional Security

An Introduction to Theater Strategy and Regional Security
Author: Clarence Bouchat
Publisher:
Total Pages: 62
Release: 2011-05-05
Genre:
ISBN: 9781461156734

This overview of theater strategy and theater security cooperation is a primer on one of the most important tools the U.S. military uses to engage other countries, deter unwanted actions, and defend U.S. and friendly nation interests. To be effective, theater strategy and theater security cooperation must be derived from and consistently linked to national and multinational strategic guidance and policy, and formulated to meet the requirements found in each region. To attain the combatant commander's strategic security goals, proper support for joint operation plans through organizational structure, force projection, sustainment, readiness training, and force development input is essential. Theater security cooperation directly supports national goals at the regional level, and enhances military operations by obviating the need for military action, or by preparing the environment better for U.S. military intervention, should it be necessary. Theater strategy is an important part of realizing national strategy around the world, and theater security cooperation is not only one of the most powerful tools in attaining the goals of theater strategy, but, through its ability to obviate the need for combat, a cost effective tool as well.

Enabling Partner Capacity Building

Enabling Partner Capacity Building
Author: Collin Fortier
Publisher:
Total Pages: 27
Release: 2013
Genre: Military assistance, American
ISBN:

The current National Security Strategy emphasizes building the capacity of our allies and partner countries to share the burden of global leadership. The Army is transitioning from a force focused on counterinsurgency operations to one that operates across the full range of military operations to include regional engagement to build security capacities. In this transition, the Army is focused on providing combat commanders with land forces to support their theater support cooperation activities and contingency response. The Army's solution is to use regionally aligned general purpose forces to conduct these missions. Though Regionally Aligned Force concept provides a robust capability to combatant commanders, the cost in dollars and time to specialize general purpose forces in language, regional, and cultural expertise required to fully implement the strategy is high. To mitigate these expenses and better synchronize theater support cooperation activities, the Army should develop a capacity building force at the Army Service Component Command with the regional expertise to enable the regional aligned force concept's execution.

U.S. Army Security Cooperation

U.S. Army Security Cooperation
Author: Thomas S. Szayna
Publisher: Minnesota Historical Society
Total Pages: 130
Release: 2004
Genre: History
ISBN: 9780833035769

In the realm of security cooperation--peacetime activities undertaken by the U.S. armed services with other armed forces and countries--the U.S. Army's current planning process is exceedingly complex and difficult to coordinate, control, and measure. This monograph seeks to help the U.S. Army improve its ability to assess future demand for resources devoted to security cooperation and to evaluate the impact of these demands upon the resources available to the Army.