Why Interactive Global Network

PROPOSED JOINT CIVIL-MILITARY INTERACTION (JCMI) PLAN-OF-ACTION

Global crises, such as the spreading of the novel corona virus (COVID-19), hybrid threats and asymmetric warfare require civil-military interaction responses guided by a unity-of-aim approach to build-up capacity for successful conflict transformation.

The purpose of the Joint Civil-Military Interaction Research and Education Network is to bring civil society, governmental agencies, military practitioners, and scholars together to investigate issues impacting civil-military interaction in peacebuilding and humanitarian actions, and to provide professional and informed guidance to military, civil society, academia, and government regarding civil-military interaction before, during, and after kinetic, humanitarian assistance, and disaster response crises.

Military cooperation with civilian peacebuilding groups enhances Human Security and the protection of vulnerable people, cultures, religions, and societies. The JCMI Network focuses on the study and development of civil society and the establishment of good governance structures in conflict affected areas around the world which are essential for building functional bridges between dysfunctional civil and military partners increasing overall joint mission success in establishing long-term peace and stability.

JCMI is based on communication, planning, and coordination among international, national, and local non-military actors and military leaders before, during, and post-crisis to facilitate the mutual effectiveness and efficiency of each.
The Joint Civil-Military Interaction (JCMI) Group (Land, Sea & Air) was established as an experiment in 2013 to seek new ways to more effectively deal with emergency security challenges of Stabilization & Reconstruction that fall under the auspices of Civil-Military Interaction. Current affiliations are maintained and expanded within NATO (HQ/ACT/ACO), the NATO accredited Centers of Excellence community, as well as individual organizations within the Sponsoring and Partner Nations. The JCMI Network researches and educates civil and military organizations and actors regarding unity-of-aim in peacebuilding and humanitarian operations.

The primary mission of the JCMI Center is to create a better understanding of the new and vital need for Civil-Military Interaction (CMI), and Civil-Military Co-operation (CIMIC), which should all be coordinated at the core of planning and operations for all civil and military missions. Effective CMI is critical for building functional bridges between Civil & Military partners; as well as greatly enhancing overall mission success for civilian and military participants; mainly in the critical areas of Protection of Civilians, Reduction of Civilian Casualties, Improvement of Non-Lethal Capability for Military Forces, Cultural Property Protection, Religion, Civil/Homeland Security, Critical Infrastructure Protection, Risk Reduction, Disaster Management & Humanitarian Assistance; as well as Joint Medical Stability Operations.

Additionally, the JCMI Network can provide support to Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO), International Organizations (IO), and NATO Accredited CIMIC Centers of Excellence (CCOE) with the knowledge of CMI in their combined roles to successfully guide  the implementation of CMI interchangeably; as well to advance the “Policy of Global Programming for Education and Training (E&T)” within NATO and affiliated organizations engaged in humanitarian operations. 

The goals of the JCMI Network are:
•    Establish and strengthen partnerships among CMI actors,
•    Build international collaboration researching CMI,
•    Inform and educate policymakers regarding CMI, 
•    Strengthen the Trans-Atlantic partnership through CMI collaboration, and
•    Promote public policy initiatives that advance CMI within peacebuilding and humanitarian response communities. The network achieves its goals by way of research, publication of journal articles and working papers as well as conducting seminars and workshops.

JCMI maintains strong connections with academia. These connections allow access to university students and future leadership in peace operations and civil-military interaction. Faculty research and teaching collaborations are ongoing, and JCMI is unique in its civilian education focus on advancing humanitarian and military interoperability. JCMI creates a theory-to-practice and practice-to-theory dynamic that advances a unified CMI approach to peace operations and humanitarian assistance and disaster response operations.

The network is successful in connecting with international military representatives regarding JCMI topics such as Good Governance, Rule-of-Law, and Protection of Civilians.

JCMI has a history of successful outreach and education events. Since 2013, JCMI has conducted symposia, conferences, and seminars at civilian academic institutions that centered on building collaborative relationships among military, civil society, government, and academia regarding CIMIC and CMI. University graduate and undergraduate CMI classes and certificate programs have also been conducted.

Critical for success of the network is its partnership with Multinational Joint Headquarters Ulm / NATO Joint Support Enabling Command which is prepared to contribute to command and control of worldwide crisis management operations as tasked by the United Nations, NATO, or the European Union. The headquarters is at the forward edge of joint operational planning and doctrine development.

The JCMI Network is open to all interested in advancing civil-military interaction and cooperation.