NATO CIMIC and US Civil Affairs (21 APR 2022)

NATO CIMIC and US Civil Affairs (CA) capabilities share the role of minimising the impact of military operations on the civil environment, as well as fostering reconstruction after operations. Despite this shared objective, the two capabilities differ in multiple points where improvement and dialogue are needed.

Improving existing practices, such as instructor swaps, information sharing, and the publication of comparative studies, should be continued to enhance interoperability and prepare for future threats and future operational domains. A common understanding is to be sought between the capabilities through developing common doctrines, a shared terminology and methods to develop interoperability within NATO.

As also indicated by the keynote speech provided by Brigadier General Kelly M. Dickerson, the participants of this CCOE Seminar called for a shared understanding and ways of working together with the ultimate aim to enhance NATO interoperability for resilience and future operations.


BG Kelly M. Dickerson 

Brigadier General Kelly M. Dickerson is the Deputy Commanding General of the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Brigadier General Dickerson is a Distinguished Military Graduate of Virginia Tech, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. He attended the Armor Basic Course, Infantry Advanced Course, Command and General Staff School, Naval Post Graduate School and the Army War College.


MAJ Csaba Szabo

Major Csaba Szabo is a Hungarian Army CIMIC officer, currently serving within the CCOE Concepts, Interoperability, Capabilities (CIC) Branch as Deputy Branch Chief CIC in The Hague, The Netherlands.
In this capacity, Maj Szabo is the assigned point of contact of the US CA community and the designated OPR of the US Civil Affairs and NATO CIMIC Synchronization project.
He is the co-author of the Civil Affairs Association article on US Civil Affairs and NATO Civil-Military Cooperation-A Hybrid Solution to Defeat Hybrid Threats.
Maj Szabo holds degrees in the faculty of Sciences at the University of Pecs, Hungary, in the subject of Geography and in the faculty of Military Science, Security and Defense Policy at Hungarian National Defense University, Budapest.



MAJ Kyle May

MAJ Kyle May is the Battalion Operations Officer (S3) for 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne), within the United States Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School. The 3rd Battalion is responsible for all active-duty officers and enlisted institutional Civil Affairs training and Reserve Civil Affairs Officer training.
His Civil Affairs experience is primarily in the INDOPACOM region, with deployments and operational rotations in Sri Lanka, South Korea, and Thailand. He also has operating experience in Iraq and Afghanistan.
MAJ May holds a Master of Arts in Strategic Security Studies from the National Defense University.



PhD. Nicholas Krohley 

Dr Nicholas Krohley is the principal of FrontLine Advisory. He advises clients in the public and private sectors on the human environment of their operations, including civil oriented military and intelligence capabilities in the United States, United Kingdom, Iraq, Ukraine, and Nigeria. He has held fellowships with the Modern War Institute at West Point and King's College London and served previously with the U.S. Army's Human Terrain System. He holds PhD and M.A. degrees in Middle East & Mediterranean Studies from King's College London and a B.A. in History from Yale University.



LTC Stefan Muehlich

LTC Stefan Muehlich is currently serving as the Branch Chief of the Concepts, Interoperability, Capabilities Branch of the CIMIC Centre of Excellence (CCOE) in The Hague.

He served five years as CIMIC Staff Officer Plans Policy & Operations and Section Head Liaison in NATO Joint Force Command Brunssum. Three of his five assignments to Afghanistan were as a CIMIC Staff Officer. For his last assignment as Liaison Officer for NATO Joint Force Command to HQ Resolute Support, he received the U.S. Joint Service Achievement Medal. Prior to his tour in Brunssum, he was Military Assistant of the Vice Chief of German Army Staff.

He is studying for his Master of Civil-Military Interaction.