I think one thing that we have learned is that there is a greater understanding of how to train foreign forces both an a micro level and at an industrial level. Prior to GWOT, the knowledge on how to train foreign forces in an applicable culturally acceptable manner primarily resided with Special Forces. Given the size and scope of the effort required to train ISF and ASF, the conventional force has had to learn the skill-set and apply it. One observation I have had over the past decade is that there has been an moving away from the foreign trainer role by SF except in certain special cases as they have been more DA focused and the lions share of the task has fallen on to the conventional force. This is less of a criticism and more of an observation given the scales required meant that only the conventional side could undertake it.

Anyrate, my primary statement is that we have built a body of knowledge and large cadre of Officers and NCOs that know how to train foreign forces. It is necessary that the conventional force realizes this and embraces it early on if we ever decide to engage in a moderate to large scale open-ended COIN fight ever again.