In coordination with its many partners and friends, the Civil Affairs Association is hosting the 2023 Civil Affairs Conference at the Iron Mike Conference Center at Ft. Liberty, NC, from 8-10 December.
The event takes place concurrent to the Ft. Liberty Operation Toy Drop, supported by the U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne), 95th Civil Affairs Brigade, and U.S. Army Special Operations Command.
The Association’s contribution is a combination of last year’s Annual Meeting and Symposium. From the workshops, speakers, panels, and Civil Affairs Issue Papers, the Conference enables the Corps to come together, network, formulate, and discuss ways ahead with institutional and policy leaders as well as recognize its outstanding members, enjoy camaraderie, and build esprit de corps.
Guests should arrive as early as Thursday evening, 7 December, in time to participate in consecutive workshops on Friday run by the CA Proponent, USACAPOC(A), the 95th Civil Affairs Brigade, and others on topics related to “Campaigning and Civil Affairs” as explained in the 2023-24 Civil Affairs Issue Papers call for papers. The workshops will report on their findings, conclusions, and recommendation the next day, when senior CA command and institutional leaders gather to discuss “Finding a Corps-wide Narrative on the Civil Affairs Value Proposition.” The final act at the Conference will be the presentation of Issue Papers selected for publication in its 10th volume in early 2024 and competing for prizes of up to $1,000 for best paper presentation. Guest speakers will also appear at the Conference.
On Saturday night, Conference guests are encouraged to attend the USACAPOC(A) Military Ball, also at the Iron Mike Conference Center, which includes announcement of 2023 Winfield Scott Medal recipients and Distinguished and Honorary Members of the Civil Affairs Corps. The invited guest speaker is Samantha Power, Administrator, United States Agency for International Development to talk about “The Global Fragility Act, Integrated Deterrence and Civil Affairs.”
A full agenda on the event will be out in early November, following the Issue Papers announcement.
To register for the Civil Affairs Conference, go to the Civil Affairs Association website and look under “events.” The conference fee is $40 for Association members (online advance only) and $50 for non-members, which covers administrative costs, Friday and Saturday daytime beverages and Saturday catered lunch. Lunch on Friday is pay-as-you-go at $20 per person.
Attendance at the USACAPOC(A) Military Ball is an individual choice and responsibility. Fees run from $25 to $65, based on rank grouping and service status. Make your reservations on the USACAPOC(A) invitation site NLT 10 November, noting your organization as “Civil Affairs Association.” Only payment confirms your reservation. After you RSVP (including making a dinner selection), you must go to the USACAPOC Donations site provided in the RSVP page and select either a PayPal or non-PayPal QR code to pay. For questions, call the USACAPOC(A) Command Group at 1.910.432.6210.
Lodging for this event will be an individual responsibility – recommended accommodations for those dates are the Embassy Suites Fayetteville, Hilton Garden Inn Fayetteville, Hampton Inn Fayetteville, or SpringHill Suites Fayetteville. Please make your reservation soon. Any questions, please email papers@civilaffairsassoc.org.