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Originally Posted by The Reaper
Rather than start a new thread, let me tag onto this one about advisors.
You want to wrap your head around advisory ops, check this out.
Those deploying in that capacity should have this CSI study as read ahead.
http://usacac.army.mil/CAC/csi/OP%2019%20complete.pdf
There is another one covering a bit different period, and I want to read it before I put it up.
TR |
Sir,
OP18 and 19 were two papers that LTC(ret) Odom clued me into as we began the Kilcullen summary. I wrote a companion piece where I cited both of these works using my experience as a CF advisor to a BDE in the north in 2005-6. I'll admit that we, on the conventional side of the house, are light years behind the SF community on the advisory work.
I was lucky in that two ODAs covered down on the same BDE and helped steer me onto the right path when I had questions or difficulties. I made my PLs and NCOs respect the Iraqi chain of command, as I told them their nationality didn't supercede military custom, courtesy, or decency. Some of my soldiers found this a hard hurdle to clear. I soon banned those soldiers from the IA OPS center and barracks as their pride and lack of integration was beginning to hurt our mission. We ate with the Iraqis, lived in the same quad of buildings on the IA base, and operated with them daily. I had one platoon that lived with an IA company 30KM from our main base. Fm 31-20-3 became my bible. I got some great mentorship from the AOB commander as well. It didn't hurt that I was working for COL H.R. McMaster, an extremely brilliant officer in his own right, either.
Putting guys like LTC John Nagl in charge of training MiTT teams is a good step in the right direction. We on the conventional side still have a long way to go.