United States National Security Strategy and Department of Defense (DoD) joint doctrine recognizes that the complexity of the contemporary operational environment requires the United States to pursue whole-of-government solutions that integrate civil-military interagency cooperation. In particular, the military requires the expertise of interagency partners in stability operations. Army doctrine recognizes that interagency synchronization occurs at all echelons, although it has yet to fully institutionalize interagency integration at tactical levels. This thesis examines four historical case studies where interagency integration was essential to tactical mission success: The DoD-State Civil Operations and Revolutionary Development Support (CORDS) Program during the Vietnam War, DoD-State Provincial Reconstruction Teams in Afghanistan, DoD-Interagency response to Ebola in West Africa, and DoD-Interagency coordination for Africa Command (AFRICOM) Regionally Aligned Forces (RAF). The conditions that led to successful implementation of these programs are highlighted with an analysis across a Doctrine, Organization, Training, Materiel, Leadership-Education, Personnel, Facilities, and Policy (DOTMLPF) framework on how the United States Army may better integrate interagency at the tactical level of stability operations.

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.)