Training the Trainer

[IVIaedhros]

Newly minted infantry LT here (yea, yea, save your cracks ) and I've been noticing that almost all of our training has been focused on the basic battle drill. I can't find any fault in this since it is our bread and butter, but I also can't help but noticing we've learned very little else, and my impression is that I'm going to be working a great deal with the Afghans. While I've certainly had to teach before, it's never been under such strained conditions and through the barrier of an alien culture.

Thus, I'd like to know if anyone has any good advice, stories, or references in terms of training the indigenous forces. Now, I'm not looking to become SF (yet, anyway), but I have to figure there's got to be some more practical points learned out there besides research your guys, respect cultural differences and demonstrating respect/friendliness.

As a note, I have read the recent PDF "A Time for Sergeants" by the staff. I found it useful, but frustratingly lacking in terms of any ideas in execution.

I also noted they specifically said to organize the Afghans like we would ourselves...yet I've been taught that violates basic COIN principals since why would you try to pattern a 3rd world defense/police force after 1st world expeditionary force that's still largely designed to take on conventional militaries?

[MikeF]

IVIaedhros,

My advice is the following. Team/Relationship building is your center of gravity/main effort/lines of operation or whatever other term you prefer.

-Co-locate if possible.
-Share meals.
-Spend time getting to know and understand each other.
-Watch movies, listen to music, etc.
-Fight together.
-Bleed together.
-Mourn together.
-Laugh together.

These actions build trust.

If you do this, then everything else will fall into place.

[Fred Bernh]

I would suggest "One Tribe at a Time" by Major Jim Gant. Try to google it, it's a pdf. It's SF stuff, but it's a good start.

[Morgan]

Another couple of books are "Once a Warrior-King" and "The Village". Both discuss the experiences of non-SF types advising local forces in Vietnam.

I also saw a few weeks ago a book written by a former ETT (Afghan embedded advisor) in Barnes & Noble. Didn't pick it up though.

[Rifleman]

I've read that some people "in the know" about things advisory swear by Seven Pillars of Wisdom by T.E. Lawrence but I found it a great cure for insomnia.

[Jesse9252]

God Willing: My Wild Ride With the New Iraqi Army by Eric Navarro is supposed to be excellent (if somewhat biased). The author, if I remember correctly, did two tours as an embedded trainer.

The Marine Corps Center for Lessons Learned (MCCLL) has extensive resources to assist folks doing advisory missions. Access to the website is restricted to a computer with a CAC reader however (there is also a SIPR version).

[JMA]

Newly minted infantry LT here (yea, yea, save your cracks ) and I've been noticing that almost all of our training has been focused on the basic battle drill. I can't find any fault in this since it is our bread and butter, but I also can't help but noticing we've learned very little else, and my impression is that I'm going to be working a great deal with the Afghans. While I've certainly had to teach before, it's never been under such strained conditions and through the barrier of an alien culture.

Thus, I'd like to know if anyone has any good advice, stories, or references in terms of training the indigenous forces. Now, I'm not looking to become SF (yet, anyway), but I have to figure there's got to be some more practical points learned out there besides research your guys, respect cultural differences and demonstrating respect/friendliness.

As a note, I have read the recent PDF "A Time for Sergeants" by the staff. I found it useful, but frustratingly lacking in terms of any ideas in execution.

I also noted they specifically said to organize the Afghans like we would ourselves...yet I've been taught that violates basic COIN principals since why would you try to pattern a 3rd world defense/police force after 1st world expeditionary force that's still largely designed to take on conventional militaries?

Greetings, I served in Rhodesia 30 odd years ago.

One has to learn to walk before you can run so my suggestion to you is to concentrate your training on the basics with these guys. Marksmanship, weapon handling, fieldcraft and battle drills. But with a difference.

You train their leaders and then watch them train their men. Don't allow yourself to get sucked into doing the basic training. Make sure they do it themselves. Great means of assessing the qualities of their leaders in the process.

As soon as you get there you need to find out what variations on the basics (battle drills) are being used given the specific circumstances. That would be covered in phase two training. Like, "OK, we have mastered the basics so now we can apply what we have learned to our local battlefield through considering these variations." (You get what I mean?)

Dealing with their leaders it is always best (and much slower) to separate them from the training of the troops themselves. Mostly the leaders will not show up for any joint training for fear of be exposed as knowing zip about the fundamentals of soldiering. With them apply the "praise in public, criticize in private" routine if you want to keep the leaders on sides.

Your terms of reference will indicate exactly what authority you have but regardless it will be a real test of your leadership abilities to set the standard and get their leaders to follow you willingly.

I guess the key to your success is to learn as much as you can about the Afghans and their tribal, religious and cultural setup. If you learn how they think you are more than halfway to getting the right presentation and approach to training... and that means you will be closer to understand how the Taliban mind works as well.

Then a tip. Learn one military word/phrase in their language every day. Write it on top of your diary page. Words and phases like, "fire", "cease firing", "advance", "take cover" and the important one "get your ass moving"

Good luck it is sure to be a lot of fun. Hey and call back here for advice from time to time so that you can really end up confused

...and yes remember as a new officer you are on the bottom end of a steep learning curve out ahead of you. You need surround yourself with a bunch of good sergeants. Be content to watch and learn and be the liaison, the coordinator, the go-between, the programme writer etc etc and remember it is never an officers job to teach soldiers... that is the work of NCOs.