SPECIAL OPERATIONS SUPPORT TO GOVERNANCE: ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEW NPS ACADEMIC TRACK, CERTIFICATE AND COURSE

Abstract

This capstone established the SOF-G track, certificate, and course to meet the needs of Army Special Operations Forces, with particular emphasis on Civil Affairs Forces. This curriculum prepares future ARSOF senior leaders with a comprehensive understanding of transitional governance. This includes the theories, methods, and practices to apply governance-based support activities in competition, large-scale combat operations, the consolidation of gains, and in contested, austere, denied, and politically sensitive environments. This course of study combines governance studies with applied sciences, mathematical modeling, visual analytics, and relevant case study. By sharing the coursework and faculty from the Departments of Defense Analysis and National Security Affairs, students experience regionally focused governance-based courses while expanding their professional networks between ARSOF and Foreign Area Officers, academics, and other Unified Action Partners. This path preserves the AOC and JPME coursework that make NPS a premier ILE venue. The SOF-G curriculum integrates advanced academics with Civil Affairs governance competencies outlined in Field Manual 3-57 Civil Affairs Operations and addresses key findings from the 2020 Army Futures Command-led Civil Affairs Force Modernization Assessment.