Protection of Civilians Military Reference Guide, Second Edition Second Edition | Page 25

Protection of Civilians Military Reference Guide
(SSR), disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR), and transitional justice. Chapter 4
discusses these environmental shaping measures as well as considerations during transitions.
P O C T ASKS
a. The PoC Military Reference Guide’s “3-45 PoC Framework” includes 45 tasks that support
the three PoC fundamentals discussed above. These tasks generally apply whether or not PoC is a
primary objective of the military’s mission, although the focus on a particular task will vary
depending upon the situation. The tasks are mutually supporting, in that success or setbacks in one
task can affect progress in other tasks. While many of the tasks apply to most military operations
and may not specifically address PoC, failure to account for or properly perform any of the tasks
could jeopardize effective PoC.
b. Chapters 2, 3, and 4 of the PoC Military Reference Guide describe the 45 tasks in detail.
Each task discussion identifies whether the military would likely perform a major role or would
normally support other actors and includes the following elements:
• Task Description—brief orientation on the task.
• Task Relevance to PoC—why the task affects PoC.
• How the Task is Accomplished—explanatory discussion and suggestions.
• Task Challenges—potential problems to consider.
c. While the set of tasks in this reference guide is intended to be comprehensive and applicable
for most PoC situations, during their mission analysis commanders and staffs should nevertheless
validate the framework’s adequacy for their particular circumstances. A unit’s actual task list
should take into account the context (for example, peace operations or armed conflict), doctrine,
mandates, rules of engagement, and other considerations. Some of the tasks in the reference guide
could be refined to be more relevant to the specific situation confronting the unit, others may not
be required, and more tasks may need to be added.
d. Other actors (including domestic and international political, police, humanitarian, and
developmental organizations) will have the primary responsibility, authority, and capability to
accomplish many of the PoC-related functions. In eleven of the tasks, particularly those associated
with shaping a protective environment, the military will generally at most be limited to a
supporting and enabling role. The military primarily accomplishes this by maintaining adequate
security so that other actors have sufficient space to operate. In extreme cases of last resort, the
military may temporarily assume a more prominent role for these eleven tasks. In most cases,
military forces at a minimum will have to be aware of the status of all 45 tasks, even if they do not
have primary responsibility and authority for some of them. This enables the military to
comprehend the bigger picture, helping to ensure that units avoid civilian harm and undermine
nonmilitary tasks that ultimately may be the most critical for mission accomplishment.
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