The mechanisms are the headquarters, the sensor systems, and the networks of people who collect and analyze the information and transmit it to their partners.
Every morning, when I get an operational update at my operations centre, there are 23 networks informing my domain awareness. The folks who run those networks—and there are many—are both civilian and military, national and bilateral.
The other thing that is working very well is the provisions for the pre-planned military support to civilian authorities for natural disaster, man-made disaster, or other contingencies.
Planning matters. Some people think we do it just to keep ourselves entertained. Actually, that's not true; it's hard work—