Discussion: Integrating Counterinsurgency into Army Professional Education
After a long journey it's finally out. :D Thanks to those that helped and let the discussion begin!
http://smallwarsjournal.com/blog/200...into-army-pro/
Quote:
Overdue Bill: Integrating Counterinsurgency into Army Professional Education
by Major Niel Smith
Download the full article: Integrating COIN into Army Professional Education
In the eight years since the invasion of Afghanistan, the U.S. Army has failed to integrate counterinsurgency (COIN) into Professional Military Education (PME). Counterinsurgency instruction remains uneven in quantity and quality throughout Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) institutions, which have failed to define standards, competencies and outcomes for COIN education. This lack of consistency contributes to ongoing operational confusion and poor execution of operations in both Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom due to lack of common concept of what counterinsurgency is and what it entails, despite great advances in COIN application and execution by troops in the field.
Integrating COIN into PME is crucial for improving the ability of the Army to wage our current wars. Ideally, two officers or NCO’s educated at differing TRADOC schoolhouses should emerge with similar skills and knowledge competencies on doctrine and staff processes. This synchronization is crucial to allowing large staffs with multiple specialties to operate seamlessly using shared understandings of the operational environment. No such standardization exists for the topic of COIN, despite adequate published doctrine and historical military literature.
TRADOC must address this shortcoming in one of its key areas of responsibility. This paper will outline several actions executable within the TRADOC commander’s existing authority to address these problems.
Good job, but is the problem the problem
Good paper. Well done.
It does suggest a logical and coherent solution to the problem the US Army has created for itself.
However is part of the problem the very variable understanding the US Army actually has of something the US Army has chosen to call COIN?
I cannot tell Neil he is wrong, (nor would wish to) because the problem he faces is one he sees. However, there may be some merit in questioning the start position from which the whole US Army is starting.
Why teach FM3-24, when it may actually be setting you up for bigger issues/problems later on? Education is very distinct from training in most true professions.
Why hasn't COIN Center picked up the paper???
Went to COIN Center web site... its part of CAC-LDE :confused:
Seems like this paper would be fodder for the Blog, splash page scroll, did you provide for their use???:D
Live well and row
I have the same reservation
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Schmedlap
...My only reservation, again, is what Wilf pointed out regarding the fundamental assumption, but even that doesn't seem overly troubling to me.
but while flawed, it's where the elephant is headed. I also am not particularly troubled by it, it can be worked through and is better than doing nothing.