Transitional Military Authority (TMA) refers to the temporary assumption of civil governance functions by U.S. military forces when legitimate civil authorities are absent, unable, or unwilling to perform their duties. It is a last-resort mission, executed only when no other entity can provide essential services or maintain order.
TMA may involve controlling territory, enforcing laws, managing infrastructure, or overseeing institutions until civil authority can be reestablished. While rare and politically sensitive, TMA is a vital tool when immediate governance is required to prevent chaos and human suffering.
For incoming 38G officers, TMA represents a unique challenge: applying your civilian-sector expertise to stabilize essential services under military oversight, while preparing local institutions to resume control. You may be asked to help build frameworks for governance, advise interim leadership, or manage technical systems that underpin a functioning society.
🎯 Key Functions of Transitional Military Authority
(Derived from FM 3-57, Paragraphs 1-35 to 1-36)
| Function | Description |
|---|---|
| Temporary Civil Governance | Assumes limited governance roles (e.g., law enforcement, utilities, public order) until legitimate civil authorities are able to resume control. |
| Institutional Stabilization | Prevents further collapse by overseeing critical services and infrastructure—often through military-civil hybrids or interim councils. |
| Framework Development | Establishes or reestablishes governance structures, legal codes, and administrative processes in a way that supports long-term local control. |
| Security and Rule of Law | Ensures legal order through provisional courts, law enforcement assistance, and enforcement of temporary regulations. |
| Transition Planning | Coordinates with interagency and host-nation partners to transfer responsibilities back to civil authorities as soon as feasible. |
🧠How 38Gs Support Transitional Military Authority
As a Functional Specialist, your role in TMA is especially critical—military forces may have the authority, but you bring the knowledge to manage civil functions responsibly. While CA generalists provide the framework, you bring the depth to make governance efforts work on the ground.
Here’s how different 38G skill identifiers may contribute to TMA:
| Example SI (Skill Identifier) | Your Role in TMA |
|---|---|
| P3 – Governance | Advise on interim legal frameworks, public administration functions, and restoration of justice or electoral systems. |
| P9 – Economic Development | Support financial system reactivation, emergency economic planning, or food and supply distribution coordination. |
| P4 – Public Health | Provide guidance on emergency medical systems, epidemic response, and public health infrastructure under military oversight. |
| P1 – Infrastructure | Help stabilize and manage key infrastructure assets (e.g., water, power, transportation) during governance gaps. |
| P6 – Education | Advise on restoring educational services, reopening schools, and managing education staff under interim control. |
In some cases, 38Gs may also serve as advisors to provisional authorities or be embedded in interim governance cells to ensure continuity, legitimacy, and sustainability.
Transitional Military Authority is rare—but when required, it can mean the difference between order and collapse. CA forces may be the only institution capable of preventing further deterioration in crisis environments.
TMA contributes to:
- Immediate stabilization in post-conflict or post-disaster scenarios
- Protection of civilians and critical infrastructure
- A viable path back to local, legitimate governance
For 38Gs, TMA places you at the intersection of responsibility and restraint. Your job is not just to help run systems—but to design and guide them in a way that empowers local ownership when the transition occurs.
TMA asks: “If we must govern temporarily, how do we do it responsibly, ethically, and effectively?”