1-8. When performing DSCA tasks, military forces support a primary (or lead) civilian agency. The command of military forces remains within military channels, but missions begin as requests for assistance from the supported civil authorities. One of the biggest mistakes tactical commanders can make is to assume they need to take charge upon arrival at the scene of an incident. An incident is an occurrence, caused by either human action or natural phenomena that requires action to prevent or minimize loss of life or damage, loss of, or other risks to property, information, and/or natural resources (JP 3-28). Military forces operating freely within civilian jurisdictions risk upsetting the constitutional balance between civil authority, the military, and the private sector. Commanders should begin by viewing each domestic operational environment as an assortment of civil authorities, each with primacy in its jurisdiction.