Department of Defense
DIRECTIVE
NUMBER 3025.18
December 29, 2010
Incorporating Change 1, September 21, 2012
USD(P)
SUBJECT: Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA)
References: See Enclosure 1
1. PURPOSE. This Directive:
a. Establishes policy and assigns responsibilities for DSCA, also referred to as civil support.
b. Incorporates and cancels DoD Directive (DoDD) 3025.1 and DoDD 3025.15
(References (a) and (b)).
c. Supplements the regulations (in DoDD 5525.5 (Reference (c))) required by section 375 of
title 10, United States Code (U.S.C.), (Reference (d)) regarding military support for civilian law
enforcement.
d. Provides guidance for the execution and oversight of DSCA when requested by civil
authorities or by qualifying entities and approved by the appropriate DoD official, or as directed
by the President, within the United States, including the District of Columbia, the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and any territory or possession of the United
States or any political subdivision thereof.
e. Authorizes immediate response authority for providing DSCA, when requested.
f. Authorizes emergency authority for the use of military force, under dire situations, as
described in paragraph 4.i. above the signature of this Directive.
2. APPLICABILITY. This Directive:
a. Applies to OSD, the Military Departments, the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs
of Staff and the Joint Staff, the Combatant Commands, the Office of the Inspector General of the
Department of Defense, the Defense Agencies, the DoD Field Activities, and all other
