Achieving Unity of Effort with Nongovernmental Organizations in Peace Support Operations

United States military forces are participating in an increasing number of small scale contingency (SSC) operations, many with no end in sight. Since the Gulf War, U.S. forces have conducted more than 50 SSCs requiring over 500 military personnel each, a 300% increase over the ten previous years. This increase in missions occurring simultaneously with declining resources has stretched many military units and specialties near their breaking points. This paper explores methods for the military to cope with its force structure/mission mismatch. It begins by defining and describing the organizations involved, then identifies past challenges incurred in these operations. After outlining national and international policies, the paper shows how all of these pieces can fit together to achieve unity of effort. After showing examples of successful joint ventures between military and civil organizations, it discusses the road ahead. The paper outlines solutions for more quickly achieving military endstate and reducing the adverse impact of these operations on the military, while improving the effectiveness of the international organizations.