Off the Radar – Special Operations Training Detachment
Episode Title: One More Rep! A Discussion with Civil Affairs Leadership
Date: April 23, 2026
Host: Captain Connor Mang (Off the Radar, Burro Team)
Guests: Bravo 96 (Civil Affairs Company Leadership)
- 1SG Charles Munson
- CPT Ed (Commander)
- CPT Tim (Ops, outgoing to Kyrgyzstan)
Overview
This episode features an in-depth roundtable with the new command team of Bravo 96, a CENTCOM-aligned Civil Affairs (CA) company under the 95th Civil Affairs Brigade. The discussion recaps their recent National Training Center (NTC) rotation, highlighting the shifting demands of large-scale combat operations (LISCO) for Army Special Operations Forces, new training evolutions, integration with Special Forces and conventional units, and the evolution of CA “lethality” in the modern battlefield. The conversation emphasizes lessons learned, the critical role of Civil Knowledge Integration (CKI), the value of realistic stress-testing at NTC, and the imperative to adapt quickly for large-scale, multi-domain conflict.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Introductions & Unit Context
[00:27–02:14]
- The 96th is one of the battalions within 95th Civil Affairs Brigade, aligned with CENTCOM, responsible for a diverse set of missions (Arabian Peninsula, Levant/Syria, Central Asia).
- All leaders have extensive SOF and CA experience, including time in Syria, Nepal, Bangladesh, and have held various command/staff roles.
Quote:
“The mission set for CENTCOM right now is pretty diverse…very tough to train, very difficult to make a training plan that covers all six teams, all the baseline lethality tasks.”
– CPT Ed (Commander), [02:38]
2. Evolving Civil Affairs Training: From Home Station to the NTC
[02:38–06:37]
- CA teams face challenges replicating the modern threat at home station; the NTC offers dynamic, “unknown answer” scenarios.
- Emphasis on balancing SOF/CA-specific tasks with “big Army” lethality fundamentals (shoot, move, communicate, medicate).
- Exposure at NTC forces adaptation to LISCO problem sets and genuine ambiguity.
Quote:
“There was not a single day where I knew the answer to the problem at all.”
– CPT Ed (Commander), [05:13]
3. Comparing CA Battalion Cultures (96th vs. 97th)
[07:31–10:30]
- First Sergeant Munson notes increased focus in 96th on baseline lethality and integration vs. prior “SIMC/engagement-focused” missions in 97th.
- Training has grown more robust, especially live fire and multi-team integration; scenario realism at NTC is exponentially higher than five years ago.
- Integration with Special Forces ODA/AOB is a key improvement area.
Quote:
“This experience that we just had is a thousand times better than what we had like five years ago.”
– 1SG Munson, [09:41]
4. Scenario Evolution: CA Directly OPCON to AOB
[11:24–17:23]
- Recent scenario changes at NTC placed CA HQs directly under Special Forces AOB, mirroring real-world Syria and CENTCOM deployments.
- Success driven by early, proactive integration; LTP (Leaders Training Program) is a force multiplier (“LTP is where success starts”).
- Strong recommend: Send the right leaders to LTP (S4, TIM/LNO, First Sergeant, commo rep).
Quote:
“If the first time you're shaking the AOB company commander's hand is at, you know, rsoi, you probably, probably wrong.”
– CPT Ed (Commander), [14:23]
5. CKI (Civil Knowledge Integration) as CA’s “Weapon System”
[17:37–24:18]
- CKI is central: teams collect, HQ analyzes and fuses; output supports both SOF and conventional targeting, planning, and force protection.
- Used analog and digital products for intelligence sharing (need to further refine analog SOP).
- LNOs/liaisons are critical for real-time information flow and making CA knowledge actionable at multiple HQ echelons.
Quote:
“MCS COP I would say was...the platform for everyone. But building an SOP and having everyone know what that is—not just your key networks but also for medical [makes the difference].”
– 1SG Munson, [19:41]
“The CKI cell...is now inputted to every single working group—whether it’s targeting, intel, FOOOPS…We’re not just siloing information.”
– CPT Ed (Commander), [20:53]
6. Lessons Learned: The Value (and Structure) of LNO Packages
[24:18–34:13]
- Effective LNO teams are small and skilled, not large; quality > quantity.
- Emphasis on real integration—not just “advocating for CA” but creating true shared understanding and flow of civil info to maneuver/tactical HQs.
- LNO's value comes from understanding SOF and conventional perspectives, enabling targeting and planning with CA-generated intelligence.
Quote:
“If you put, you know, kind of garbage into your higher headquarters, you’re going to get garbage back out.”
– CPT Connor Mang (Host), [36:20]
“In civil affairs, relationships are our bread and butter...building that relationship and that trust with the units that you’re going to operate with prior to [deployment] can’t be undervalued.”
– CPT Tim, [16:43]
7. Multi-Domain Effects & Signature Management
[38:12–46:57]
- NTC presents dense multi-domain threat: enemy UAS, jamming, comms blackouts, kinetic and non-kinetic strikes.
- Comms “P.A.C.E.” (Primary, Alternate, Contingency, Emergency) plans, learning to accept missed comms windows as routine in LISCO.
- Need for disciplined electromagnetic and physical signature management—limiting visibility to enemy sensors, physically and digitally.
- Use of TPT and integration with PSYOP, SF, and CA to “create convergence windows” for deep effects.
Quote:
“The biggest change...is the really regimented discipline of the electromagnetic signature and managing that. There’s certain mitigation measures...but if you’re reacting to enemy UAS, it’s almost too late.”
– CPT Tim, [41:48]
“Long gone are the days...of us assuming we can’t be observed. It’s not always going to be a guy on a hill with binoculars. It’s probably going to be something you can’t see or even detect.”
– CPT Connor Mang (Host), [43:06]
8. Command & Mission Command
[45:09–47:37]
- Acceptance that decentralized execution is necessary: leaders may not speak with teams daily but must trust subordinate initiative aligned with commander’s intent.
- Sustained integration (e.g., log stat, shared comms windows, “green, green, green” = good but still report, never assume).
- Benefits of doctrinal and “cultural” alignment with supported AOB and other SOF/conventional partners—critical for LISCO.
Quote:
“As far as an ops end, it’s okay for teams to go black, to miss comms windows—because we’re giving them guidance…they know the plan.”
– 1SG Munson, [39:02]
“When you have that shared understanding on the comms windows…that enables, especially in a LISCO situation, if one element is offline for a period of time, everyone else knows what that comms and those contingencies are.”
– CPT Tim, [46:56]
Memorable Quotes & Moments
- “There was not a single day where I knew the answer to the problem at all.” – CPT Ed, [05:13]
- “LTP is where success starts.” – CPT Connor Mang, [13:58]
- “MCS COP...was our key platform. But building an SOP and having everyone know what that is—not just your key networks but also for medical.” – 1SG Munson, [19:41]
- “It’s not so much what you’re sending over there, it’s the quality and the understanding from those individuals, even if it’s just two…that person understands the SODIF’s intent.” – CPT Connor Mang, [25:41]
- “If you put garbage into your higher headquarters, you’re going to get garbage back out.” – CPT Connor Mang, [36:20]
- “In civil affairs, relationships are our bread and butter...building that relationship and trust...can’t be undervalued.” – CPT Tim, [16:43]
- “If you’re reacting to enemy UAS, it’s almost too late.” – CPT Tim, [41:48]
- “Long gone are the days...of us assuming we can’t be observed. It’s probably going to be something you can’t see or even detect.” – CPT Connor Mang, [43:06]
Important Timestamps
- 00:27 – Guest introductions and SOF/CA backgrounds
- 02:38 – CA company mission overview for CENTCOM
- 05:13 – Challenge of ambiguity and realistic problem sets at NTC
- 09:41 – Comparison of 97th vs. 96th CA battalion cultures and training
- 13:58 – LTP (Leaders Training Program) advice and value
- 19:41 – CKI and CA company-level fusion process
- 24:43 – LNO package design and best practices
- 38:12 – Multi-domain threat environment & adapting to UAS/jamming
- 45:09 – Acceptance and execution of decentralized operations/mission command
- 47:37 – Criticality of integrated comms and mission command during LISCO
Tone & Style
The conversation is candid, self-reflective, and tactical, mixing practical lessons with professional humility and a frank acknowledgment that current and future conflicts demand more creativity, integration, and adaptability from SOF and CA teams than ever before. The leadership demonstrates openness to learning, the necessity of robust partner integration, and an understanding that solutions—and “one more rep”—are never final.
End of Part One. For further details on RMTS and Bravo 96’s takeaways, tune in to Part Two.
