SUBJECT AREA Strategic Issues EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Title: Combined Action Platoons: A Strategy for Peace Enforcement

potential applications in operations other than war, particularly Chapter VII UN Peace Enforcement missions. FMFM 1-1, Campaigning, cites the Combined Action Program as an example of a short-lived but successful concept. If the Combined Action Platoons were successful, then how would the concept interface with today's doctrine in Peace Keeping/Enforcement missions? Discussion: Earlier this century, the Marine Corps was often called "State Department's troops, " and during the 1960's the term "Ambassadors in Green " was used. As the budget dictates a smaller force with no foreseeable respite in overseas commitments, the Marines are searching for a model to handle this challenge. Operations such as those conducted in Somalia, Haiti, and Bosnia are becoming the norm and provide an environment for a CAP-style operation to be successfully employed. Sea Dragon may be the Marine Corp's second generation of a CAP-style operation that handles the challenges of reduction in forces and commitments. The lessons learned from the CAP experience is that the use of firepower is only half of the pacification equation. The other half, as highlighted in the Small Wars Manual, is, in order to have long-term success, winning the trust of th