Commander's Guide to Money as a Weapons System

Warfighters at brigade, battalion, and company level in a counterinsurgency (COIN) environment employ money as a weapons system to win the hearts and minds of the indigenous population to facilitate defeating the insurgents. Money is one of the primary weapons used by warfighters to achieve successful mission results in COIN and humanitarian operations. Types of funds possibly available to warfighters include the following: Commander's Emergency Response Program; Iraqi Commander's Emergency Response Program; Quick response funds; Central Command rewards; Logistics Civil Augmentation Program; Official representation funds; Operations and Maintenance, Army; Field ordering officer funds; Iraqi Security Forces Fund; Afghan Security Forces Fund; Contingency Construction Authority; Other Procurement, Army; and Other funding sources (U.S. and coalition partners). Unfortunately, funding sources, amounts, and guidelines vary by area of operations. What applies in one area is not necessarily true in other areas. Additionally, written guidelines, policies, and procedures constantly change. The best funding information source is the supporting resource manager (J8/C8/G8) who provides both the funds and guidance for use of the funds. This handbook provides a synopsis of types of money that may be available to fund warfighters at brigade level and below and information on managing and using funds.