What Does it Take to Win a War? | The History of the Civil Affairs Regiment

Pineland Underground

Did you know Civil Affairs Soldiers were on the beaches of Normandy and tasked with addressing the cattle killed from the combat operations so that disease outbreaks could be mitigated? Or that Civil Affairs prevented cholera outbreaks during the Korean War?

Combat is only one aspect of conflict and war.

We dive deep in this episode where we cover the history of Civil Affairs.

The Civil Affairs Branch predates the Psychological Operations and Special Forces branches, and even predates the Army Aviation and Military Intelligence branches. The history of Civil Affairs is important for Special Operations practitioners and leaders throughout the military to learn.

Join us as we host Dr. Troy J. Sacquety, the Army Special Operations Forces' Command Historian, and recently named Honorary Member of the Civil Affairs Regiment.

About the guest:

Dr. Sacquety earned an MA from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and a PhD in Military History from Texas A&M University. Prior to joining the USASOC History Office staff in August 2006, he worked several years for the Central Intelligence Agency. His research interests include Army and Office of Strategic Services special operations during World War II, and U.S. Army Civil Affairs.

About the hosts:

Maj. Ashley "Ash" Holzmann is an experienced Psychological Operations Officer who served within the re-established PSYWAR School at the United States Army JFK Special Warfare Center and School. He is now transitioning to attend grad school at Arizona State University with a follow-on assignment at West Point's Army Cyber Institute where he will research mis/disinformation.

Sgt. Maj. Derek Riley is one of the most experienced Civil Affairs Non-commissioned Officers in the Army Special Operations Regiment. He has incredible deployment experience and serves within the Civil Affairs Proponent at the United States Army JFK Special Warfare Center and School.

From the episode:

Brief biography of Col. Irwin L. Hunt, author of the Hunt Report:

https://arsof-history.org/icons/hunt.html

Derek mentioned the famous General, Gen. Lucius D. Clay:

https://www.army.mil/article/216006/gen_lucius_d_clay_a_brilliant_administrator

Information on the European Civil Affairs Division and Civil Affairs history:

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GOVPUB-D101-PURL-gpo128986/pdf/GOVPUB-D101-PURL-gpo128986.pdf

Col. Charles R. Munske, who began his career as Coast Artillery:

https://arsof-history.org/icons/munske.html

Brigadier General Crawford F. Sams:

https://arsof-history.org/articles/v6n1_crawford_sams_page_1.html

CORDS:

https://www.archives.gov/research/military/vietnam-war/civil-operations.html

The Ring Road of Afghanistan:

https://www.vox.com/world/2018/1/11/16878056/afghanistan-us-fail-war-taliban

Recommended reading from the episode:

The Hunt Report:

https://www.civilaffairsassoc.org/post/2018/05/08/civil-affairs-centennial-ca100-the-hunt-report

American Military Government of Occupied Germany:

https://arsof-history.org/icons/pdf/american_military_government_of_occupied_germany_1918-1920.pdf

Dr. Sacquety is also the author of the book The OSS in Burma: Jungle War against the Japanese:

https://us.amazon.com/OSS-Burma-against-Japanese-Studies/dp/0700619097/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Army Special Operations Recruiting:

SOF Recruiting Page (soc.mil)

https://www.soc.mil/USASOCHQ/recruiting.html

GoArmySOF Site:

https://www.goarmysof.army.mil/

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