Members from Maritime Civil Affairs Group (MCAG) participated in the 57th Civil Affairs Association annual conference held in Portsmouth, Va., Nov. 6-8, marking the group's inaugural participation in such an event. MCAG serves as the Navy's experts in planning and conducting civil–military operations, focusing on maritime disciplines and the near-shore operational environment in support of the nation's maritime strategy. These forces are designed to complement and expand current civil affairs capability in the Army and Marine Corps and fill a warfighting gap for the Navy. The conference brought together civil affairs leaders to address current challenges and the future of civil affairs.