Preparing for Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response in Large-Scale Combat Operations

In 2022, Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) Lloyd Austin directed the creation of the Department of Defense’s (DOD’s) Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Action Plan (CHMR-AP). The action plan is based on lessons from and analysis of real-world operations and contains SECDEF-directed actions to meet two overall goals: improving DOD’s ability to mitigate harm to civilians in its operations and improving response to this harm when it occurs.

In the introduction to the CHMR-AP, Secretary Austin states the plan is “scalable and relevant to both counterterrorism operations and large-scale conflicts against peer adversaries.” As the US considers how best to prepare for a large-scale combat operation (LSCO) against peer adversaries, the Office of Special Operations/Low-Intensity Conflict in the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Policy requested that CNA develop practical steps DOD can take to prepare for mitigating and responding to civilian harm in the context of a LSCO.