How the United States Army’s Civil Affairs Corps Finds Relevance in the Department of War’s Fight for Homeland Security Against Southern Border Terroristic Cartels and Gangs

Dr. Christopher C. Palme

Introduction. The United States Army (USA) Civil Affairs (CA) Corps plays a crucial role in addressing homeland security challenges, including those posed by terroristic cartels and gangs along the southern border. Its relevance lies in its ability to bridge the gap between military operations and civilian populations, ensuring stability, cooperation, and effective governance in areas affected by violence and instability.

Bridging the Gap Between Military Operations and Civilian Populations. The CA Corps specializes in understanding and navigating the "human terrain;" the social, political, and economic dynamics of civilian populations in areas of conflict or instability. This expertise is critical in addressing the challenges posed by cartels and gangs, whose influence often stems from exploiting weak governance, economic hardship, and fear within local communities.

Understanding Local Dynamics. CA teams are trained to assess the needs, grievances, and vulnerabilities of civilian populations. Along the southern border, this means identifying how cartels and gangs exploit communities through coercion, economic dependency, and fear. By understanding these dynamics, CA teams can design targeted interventions to disrupt cartel influence and strengthen community resilience.

Building Trust and Cooperation. The CA Corps works to establish trust between the military, local authorities, and civilian populations. This is particularly important in areas where mistrust of government institutions may be high due to corruption or ineffective governance. Trust-building efforts can include facilitating dialogues between communities and law enforcement, addressing criticisms, and demonstrating the government's commitment to protecting and supporting its citizens. This communal trust becomes the catalyst for gaining access to many cartel and gang ruled territories. Cartels and gangs often exert influence over communities by exploiting vulnerabilities such as poverty, lack of governance, and fear. CA teams can gain access to these areas by focusing on community engagements and building trust with both the civilian populaces and in rare cases, even with gang and cartel members. However, operating in criminal-terrorist domains poses significant risks, leading commanders to often delay, limit, or cancel such missions due to concerns for team safety.

Supporting Border Security. USA CA teams offer the Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and War (DOW) a unique capability in securing the defense of the US’s borders. USA CA teams are the US’s Soldiering sociologists. Not as siloed Soldier-Citizens, but as the CA Corps, they combine their backgrounds as military service members with private and public sector civilian occupational skills, with their trained, experienced subject matter expertise in the social science fields and concepts such as sociology, psychology, influence, negotiations, etc. to offer DHS and DOW a primed opportunity to gain a ‘true’ mapping and analysis of the human terrain.   

Preventing Radicalization and Recruitment. Cartels and gangs often target vulnerable populations for recruitment, particularly young people. CA teams painstakingly work to prevent this by addressing the underlying factors that make individuals susceptible to recruitment, such as poverty, lack of education, and social marginalization. Cartels and gangs use violence, economic incentives, and propaganda to maintain control over communities. CA teams counter these efforts by promoting positive narratives, supporting economic development, and empowering local leaders. CA teams facilitate the organization of community outreach programs that provide alternatives to cartel and gang recruitment, such as job training or educational opportunities.

Promoting Stability and Governance. Again, cartels and gangs thrive in environments where governance is weak or absent. CA teams help strengthen local governance by supporting infrastructure development, improving access to essential services, and enhancing the capacity of local authorities. CA teams can assist in developing community policing programs, providing training to local officials, or facilitating the delivery of humanitarian aid to areas affected by cartel violence. Additionally, violence and instability caused by cartels often lead to displacement and disenfranchisement, creating humanitarian crises. CA teams are trained as master networkers. Many of their networked partners offer immediate survival assistance, such as food, shelter, and medical care. CA teams also support and help plan long-term solutions to reintegrate displaced populations into stable communities. The difficulty in achieving stability in cartel and gang infested areas is created by the volatility of unpredictable rises and falls of nefarious leaders, along with rapid shifts in cartel and gang-controlled territories. As power shifts internally with these criminal and terroristic threat groups, known areas of instability become exacerbated, while new destabilization pressures emerge.

Facilitating Interagency Coordination. Hence, the fight against cartels and gangs requires a multi-faceted approach involving federal, state, local and even international agencies. The CA Corps acts as a liaison between the military and these agencies, ensuring a coordinated and effective response to border threats is attained. CA teams work with the DHS, local law enforcement, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to address the root causes of instability and develop comprehensive security strategies to both defend and combat the adversaries’ actions. The CA Corps further contributes to homeland security by addressing the socio-political and economic conditions that enable cartels and gangs to operate. Their efforts complement traditional law enforcement and military operations, creating a more holistic approach to security. Given the transnational nature of cartels, the CA Corps also plays a role in fostering and strengthening cross-border cooperation with Mexico and other neighboring countries. This includes sharing intelligence, coordinating border security efforts, and supporting joint initiatives to combat organized crime.

Conclusion. In the aftermath of cartel-related violence or disruptions, CA teams actively support community restoration processes. They aid in the planning and facilitation of recovery operations that focus on rebuilding infrastructure, restoring essential services, and fostering economic development. The USA CA Corps is uniquely suited to support law enforcement and military units against terroristic cartels and gangs along the southern border. By bridging the gap between military operations and civilian populations, the CA Corps ensures that security efforts are not only effective but also sustainable. Their focus on stability, cooperation, and governance helps mitigate the root causes of instability, disrupts cartel influence, and strengthens the resilience of affected communities. In doing so, the CA Corps plays a critical role in safeguarding both local populations and national security.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect any official policy or position of the U.S. Army, the Department of Defense, of any other U.S. government agency.

About the Author. Dr. Christopher Palme is a seasoned academic-practitioner in Homeland Security, Sociology, and Military Studies, holding Bachelor’s degrees in English and Criminal Justice, Master’s degrees in Criminology, Homeland Security, and Military Studies, and a Doctorate in Homeland Security. With 14+ years of military service, he began as an Army Reservist while serving 12 years in law enforcement, including roles as Deputy Sheriff, School Resource Officer, and North Carolina Special Agent. Chris later became Aide-de-Camp to the Deputy Commanding General of the U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne). A qualified Civil Affairs, Psychological Operations, Adjutant General, and Military Police Officer, he has commanded Recruiting, Drill Sergeant, and Deployed Civil Affairs Companies, leading missions across 30 states and 12 countries. With over a decade of teaching experience, Chris now serves as the Civil Affairs Reserve Course Manager and Instructor at the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare School, Fort Bragg.