What are Reserve Civil Affairs units like, including their optempo? What is the reclass school like?

2023-04-08T03:14:55-04:00

I’m a current 31B SGT in the Reserves and have found myself feeling stagnant so I am looking at broadening my horizons. Near my home there is a Civil Affairs unit and am just curious if anyone would be willing to share what the units are like. More specifically things like OP Tempo and such, without actually violating OPSEC of course, what reclass school is like, and any information that would be beneficial in their opinion.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 8 at 2023 4:56 AM

2023-04-08T04:56:49-04:00

Sergeant Charlie Lee wouldn't include me cuz he blocked me because he doesn't like my political point of view.

Civil Affairs could also be considered military government. In a nutshell, after a military has overrun an enemy area, you need to be able to stabilize it so there won't be Insurgency because of lack of electricity, water, too much untreated sewage, and too much trash leads to human suffering. In a destabilizing situation, civil Affairs is there to try to prop up the weak government so the government survives and becomes legitimized. We could be the people behind the scenes giving money and expertise so the host government or surviving nascent government is strong enough to be able to set up by itself and we are able to leave a stabilized environment. We tried in Afghanistan and we failed though I personally helped with all kinds of projects recommended by different entities at my base in Western Afghanistan such as personnel and our medical section who treated Afghans and went to their hospitals or their government buildings. Civil Affairs is multifaceted and has many aspects that you would probably consider exciting. I kind of consider that we are guys with money and and weapons trying to shape the situation working together sometimes with sister entities like psychological operations or psyop. I also worked with other countries like the Spanish or Italians who are also working in our area of operation since we were all NATO partners.

Civil Affairs is a unique animal. Civil affairs has a high op Tempo. Don't be surprised if you get deployed every other year. A handful of civil Affairs units are airborne as well. Yours may be a leg unit and not be airborne but if you wanted to be a paratrooper, a handful of them require you to be airborne qualified. They will train you if you are not and you may be required to jump once per quarter or you can jump every month if you want if that unit is able to schedule it . Civil Affairs units used to be part of Special Operations Command. They were like the bastard stepchildren of them so you may see people from Special Forces be in that unit as well. Civil Affairs units may offer you Defense Language Institute residency if you score high on the Defense Language proficiency test and you can go to the Presidio of Monterey and go active duty to learn a language. One civil Affairs Sergeant I know said that they changed it from a specific War Trace language like Korean to any language. So if you wanted to learn a specialized language like korean, mandarin, cantonese, Persian or something else, you may possibly get a slot. You will also get language pay if you pass and get 2/2 or above.

Civil Affairs may also attract people from medical service Corps who can be lent out to that branch. I also saw unique opportunities. Civil Affairs offered air assault. One sergeant in my section also tried being the NCO of civil affairs. He lost out. He was the NCO of the brigade, then he went to the NCO of the Civil Affairs command and lost out in the civil Affairs NCO of civil affairs. He ended up going to Ranger school and passing it. The only caveat is this happened between 2006 to 2011 so hopefully these opportunity still apply. I will Peged some other people who I knew in civil Affairs who may respond or you could possibly ask them. I worked with or worked for these individuals listed below with the exception of first sergeant Healy who just knew my first sergeant killed in Afghanistan. Both my former first sergeant and I were military police. It really doesn't matter what your prior military occupational specialty was because civil Affairs trains you anyway. I thought it was unique and civil Affairs officers and enlisted usually get promoted by a higher percentage to the next rank.

Response by LTC Eugene Chu made Apr 8 at 2023 5:24 AM

2023-04-08T05:24:34-04:00

Link to recruiting website.
I temporarily drilled with a unit during summer 2014. It offers a lot of military opportunities, but there is a rigorous selection process.

https://www.goarmysof.army.mil/CA/

Civil Affairs

The official website of Special Operations Recruiting Battalion SORB. Civil Affairs (CA) Soldiers operate in hostile, denied, or politically sensitive environments utilizing specialized tactics, techniques, and procedures.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 8 at 2023 10:51 AM

2023-04-08T10:51:17-04:00

This 6 minute video maybe of some interest although it is geared more towards folks recruiting into the MOS. But it gives a good outline of the career field.
https://youtu.be/90LA3_Z8AfM

90LA3_Z8AfM

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Apr 8 at 2023 12:34 PM

2023-04-08T12:34:09-04:00

Just remember almost all CA & Psyop units are in the reserves. While it is seldom the whole unit deploys, they are constantly tapped to individual or small teams out into the world. Have a friend who deployed alot, and retired as a CA Bn Cdr.