"Milites civisque alacrites"
In 1997, in consequence of the experiences in peacekeeping operations, the NATO Commands provided with a renewed capability of Civil-Military cooperation (CIMIC) for the need of interact with the civil population, the civil Authorities and the International Organizations, in order to create an "environment" facilitating the success of NATO missions.
Consequently a new CIMIC doctrine and a new concept of education have been revised and a Unit of specialists has been constituted. Each "Strategic Command" had to have multinational assets at a "Regional Command" level. On the European level three regiments had to be formed and assigned to the responsibility of Italy, Holland and United Kingdom.
These three regiments are organized in a regiment Command, a Command and Logistic Support company and three CIMIC companies, but also a reserve of CIMIC capabilities with (Selected Reserve) in relation to the need in the different theatre of intervention.
On 1st January 2002 the national unit was constituted launching the project. The type of CIMIC activities on the territory, similar to the Engineer activities, required to link a CIMIC unit with the Operational Land Forces Command (COMFOTER) through the Engineer Command Brigade.
The international joint forces group started its work on 26th November 2001, including the representatives of all the Countries of the Southern Region of NATO (Portufal, Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Hungary and Turkey) for defining the participation levels and the release of documents concerning the CIMIC Group operations. The Unit has not got direct tasks in interventions for public natural disasters on the national territory.