This study examines the role of the U.S. Army to resolve a domestic crisis. Domestic contingency operations are viable Army missions and commanders must be prepared to execute military operations in response to a domestic emergency. The term "domestic contingency operations" describes the Army's role in a national crisis response. These missions include disaster relief, civil disturbances, and forest fires. The thesis evaluates the role of the Army to plan and execute domestic contingency operations. There is a void of doctrinal guidance for domestic contingencies. However, domestic counterdrug operations provide a paradigm for other domestic military operations. Domestic counterdrug operations provide five parallels which provide a context for discovery to evaluate domestic contingency operations. The author examines the following parallels: strategic guidance, operational objectives, organizational structure, tactical execution, and logistics. He uses these parallels to evaluate domestic contingency operations. The thesis concludes that current domestic contingency doctrine and plans do not provide adequate guidance for commanders to conduct domestic contingency operations. The thesis highlights the implications that domestic missions have upon the current Army force structure active/reserve component debates. Finally, the author concludes that the Army must be prepared to conduct operations across the full spectrum of operations other than war, to include domestic contingency operations.

ADA 274107 Approved for public release; Distribution is unlimited. The opinions and conclusions expressed herein are those of the student-authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College or any other governmental agency. (References to these studies should include the foregoing statement.)