Protection of Civilians Military Reference Guide, Second Edition Second Edition | Page 33

Protection of Civilians Military Reference Guide
b. If left unrepaired, damaged infrastructure such as building, bridges, and roads can cause
civilian casualties if the structures collapse or if they otherwise
create unsafe conditions. Infrastructure that deteriorates from lack
of maintenance, as might occur in a fragile or failing state, can also
present a threat to civilian well-being and inhibit access to civilians
and the return to previous economic activity. Some infrastructure,
such as dams, can have catastrophic consequences if they fail.
When time and resources permit, the clearance and repair of
damaged infrastructure can help prevent future harm to civilians. Military forces may be directly
involved in such efforts or may assist other developmental actors who would be better suited.
c. Transportation infrastructure such as roads, railways, river ways, bridges, tunnels, ports, and
airfields is an important consideration in terms of establishing access to vulnerable populations. It
is also significant with respect to the logistics and operations of the military force, as it affects
throughput, operational reach, and responsiveness. This infrastructure is also vulnerable to
disruption from natural causes as well as adversaries, and a range of other actors will likely
compete for access. An extensive air transport network may be required to support military
operations, but may provide limited benefit to a host state seeking to restore essential services,
economic growth, governance, and the rule of law.
Task Challenges
The major challenge in understanding the operational environment is sorting through the vast
amount of frequently-contradictory information and identifying the key elements necessary to
achieve adequate comprehension. The operational environment will also continually change, and
units will have to be proactive to understand and anticipate evolving circumstances. They will have
to synthesize information from a variety of internal and external sources, particularly regarding
nonmilitary aspects that likely do not fall within the military’s normal expertise. It may also be
difficult to anticipate the indirect impact of some GPMESII factors on PoC.
Task 2: Understand the Actors
Task Description
Units should have a comprehensive understanding of the domestic and international actors in
their areas of responsibility. These actors may include individuals, organizations, or broad
categories such as ethnic groups, religious sects, socio-economic classes, or regional populations.
It is usually helpful to conduct a critical factors analysis to help identify the motivations,
capabilities, vulnerabilities, and intentions of the actors, as well as other potential variables.
Task Relevance to PoC
With respect to PoC, actors may be broadly categorized as military forces, adversaries,
vulnerable civilians, and “other” (bystanders, negative actors, and positive actors). An
understanding of the different actors is essential for the military to comprehend potential civilian
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