Some good points, Xenophon, and I really, REALLY, want to read your mothers' paper :D.
LtFuzz, do you know Brian Selmeski at the Air Force Culture and Languiage Center at Maxwell AFB? Brian and his colleagues have been doing some very interesting work on the role of air bases as a COIN centre - how to integrate them and use them. You may want to contact him for some ideas; pm me if you want his email address.
Cheers,
Marc