1 | 2 | 3

Photo Credit: SFC Keith Bleser

After expert briefs, the game proceeded in three moves, the results of which represent the raw product of the seminar game. Move 1 required participants to develop a concept of operations (CONOPS) for humanitarian, civilian police and military sectors. In Move 2, the CONOPS was broken down into a list of tasks for each sector. For Move 3, participants determined the training requirements for successful completion of the military's mission.

A game book supplied general instructions and scenario details, complete with country facts, historical background, current situation, maps, and relevant documents. In addition, the Asia Pacific Area Network served as a real time, online resource through which each working group could access data and information relevant to solving the problems posed. Expert presenters' briefs were posted immediately on the APAN site to enable use of the material as the working group discussion proceeded, for example.

While tasks were articulated in a detailed fashion, the syndicates differed in their discovery and approach to the problems and to the solutions, some staying very close to the outline provided while others elected to work with a broader view. Working groups presented their findings to the entire group during plenary sessions that followed each move. Facilitators and reporters in each working group tracked group discussion and output, integrated the use of APAN, and moved discussions forward as time constraints required.

Move 1: Conducting the Mission Analysis

Description

Participants conducted a mission analysis to develop a broad concept of operations to implement the UN mandate. Two working groups focused on a military mission, while the remaining two addressed civilian police and humanitarian activities. Military participants supplemented both the humanitarian and civilian police working groups because of an insufficient number of humanitarian and civilian police representatives to reasonably conduct their working groups. Military participants in these groups were asked to consider the problem from a perspective different from their own.

Findings

The two military groups made several assumptions:

1. Belligerents will not agree
2. Relief Agencies are operating in Darlan
3. The mandate remains in place
4. Rogue elements not controlled by Coalition for Democratic Darlan
5. There is limited host nation support
6. There are high levels of violence, with UN Forces being targeted
7. The Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) is untenable - Letter of Agreement from all parties

The civilian police group also made assumptions relevant to their role:

1. Courts, court officers and incarceration issues are addressed by other parties
2. Civilian Police will use the existing civpol structure and will retain the good from it
3. Best if ownership of the problem is kept w/Darlan
4. Would have more information than given in the game, including basic intelligence

The humanitarian group made no specific reference to assumptions.

The working groups identified tasks and their execution in terms of a phased operation in generally this order:

1. Pr-deployment - assessment of current situation/information and data gathering
2. Deployment
3. Mission analysis
4. Secure provision of emergency relief
5. Rehabilitation/restoration of legal government
6. Evaluation and modification as necessary
7. Handover and transition
8. Re-deployment

Conclusions

Photo Credit: Robin Hayden

Each working group type - humanitarian, military and civilian police - determined a number of unique tasks for that sector critical for the mission. For some, these tasks were taking place before the deployment of other actors - humanitarian prior to military forces, for example. In the case of civilian police, though they may deploy on or about the same time as military forces, the majority of their tasks are borne out in the post-emergency phase, in keeping with their important role in nation building. Regardless of the period during which there was greatest activity for that responder group, each stressed the need to generate synergism and integrate activities across sectors. Coordinating mechanisms, opportunities for interaction and interface, and cross-functional issues were borne out in their deliberations and were featured in all presentations.

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