This United States Army handbook, Field Manual FM 3-57 Civil Affairs Operations July 2021, provides Army commanders with the information necessary for the integration of Civil Affairs forces and capabilities, by echelon, in support of unified land operations. It also provides the doctrinal basis for the conduct of Civil Affairs operations in support of unified action.
FM 3-57 clarifies the role of Civil Affairs forces in the execution of Civil Affairs operations with regard to the missions, employment, support requirements, capabilities, and limitations of these forces. Civil Affairs forces execute Civil Affairs operations in support of unified land operations in all theaters, at all echelons, across the competition continuum to achieve unity of effort. A force multiplier for every commander, Civil Affairs forces are one of the primary resources a commander has to assist in understanding and managing the complex and everchanging civil component of the operational environment. Civil Affairs forces are trained, organized, and equipped to plan, execute, and assess Civil Affairs operations in support of Army and joint operations. Cultural orientation, regional expertise, linguistic capabilities, advisory skills, civil network development expertise, and civilian-acquired professional experience in common government functions distinguish Civil Affairs forces from other enablers. This makes Civil Affairs forces essential to the success of all missions that occur near, among, or with civilian populations, governments, or interorganizational partners.
The principal audience for FM 3-57 is the leadership of the Army, officers, and senior noncommissioned officers who command Army forces or serve on the staffs that support those commanders of operations across the conflict continuum. It is also an applicable reference for the civilian leadership of partner United States departments and agencies.
This manual is written primarily to assist the Army component commands, Army corps, Army divisions, brigade combat teams, maneuver enhancement brigades, theater special operations commands, and special operations task forces with the integration of Civil Affairs operations in planning, preparing for, executing, and assessing unified land operations.