2025-26 Civil Affairs Issue Papers Call for Papers

First prize paper receives $2,500. Submit yours by 12 September.

The Civil Affairs Association has issued its call for papers for the 12th volume of the Civil Affairs Issue Papers.

This year’s call for papers, on “Redefining Civil Affairs,” reflects an updated approach, as noted in the latest Roundtable Report, including increasing the cash award amounts for the top-ranking papers presented at the Symposium; broadening the themes to include a greater range to paper topics; and, enabling CA commands, proponents, and related institutions to have a greater stake in the Issue Paper enterprise by shaping submissions to support related organizational objectives.

During each era of conflict, Civil Affairs has redefined itself in response to atmospheric changes to meet U.S. foreign policy, national security, and force development priorities. This time, our defense and military establishments are intensely focused on force lethality for large-scale combat operations (LSCO) and deterrence in a rapidly changing, volatile, and dynamic strategic environment. At the same time, in response to a growing consensus for a unifying narrative on civil affairs, the Association has forged a narrative strategy on “Telling the Civil Affairs Story” for adaptive use to explain what CA is, what it does, and why and how it is important.

How must civil affairs redefine itself to meet current requirements while anticipating future imperatives? What DOTMLPF-P[1] changes should occur within and beyond current CA, Service, Joint, Defense, interagency, national, or international capacities to realize CA’s full potential? How should we prioritize and implement them?

To address these questions, the Civil Affairs Association and its partners invite the civil-military community of practice to send original issue papers prepared according to the Civil Affairs Issue Paper Guidelines. Proponents like the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, U.S. Army Security Force Assistance and Stability Integration Directorate, the U.S. Marine Corps Civil-Military Operations School, as well as the U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne) and 95th Civil Affairs Brigade (Special Operations) (Airborne) will provide additional guidance on paper priorities.

Selected paper authors will present at the 13-15 November 2025 CA Symposium, likewise on “Redefining Civil Affairs,” in the Los Angeles, CA area. The top three papers presented at the Symposium will receive cash awards of: 1st prize, $2,500; 2nd prize, $1,000; and 3rd prize, $500.

Submit papers no later than Friday, 12 September 2025. Send papers or any inquiries to papers@civilaffairsassoc.org.

Download the full call for papers here. Look for the first 12 volumes of the Civil Affairs Issue Papers, as well as the Roundtable Reports and Civil Affairs Issue Papers Guidelines, on the Association website.

[1] Doctrine, organization, training, materiel, leadership and education, personnel, facilities, and policy.