A Lessons Framework for Civil-Military-Police Conflict and Disaster Management

International conflict and disaster response operations incorporate a diverse, multi-layered series of activities and actors working in the same space, and in contested environments. Differences in organizational culture, language, processes, and behavior can either inhibit or enhance understanding and cooperation. This chapter looks at how the Australian Civil-Military Centre (ACMC) has developed, facilitated, and tested education and training programs, preparedness exercises, and targeted research to enhance understanding and cooperation. These activities provide the foundation for a holistic civil-military-police lessons framework that is being developed. They provide Australian government agencies, military, police, and the aid community with a guide to successfully maintain and contribute their technical expertise and perspectives to respond to conflict and disaster management. Through the continued refinement of training programs, preparedness exercises, and targeted research, this framework looks not only at lessons collection but also at implementation of these lessons in future practice.