Every Soldier A Sensor - Localized Elicitation Training for IDs

[HumanCOGRachel]

If you have not been in country, you need to go. It should be very easy, if this program has any actual teeth and patrons who are at all serious about the effort. A San Diego newspaper reporter made it to way south Helmand pretty easily, and do did a Filipino Reuters photographer. Same with a German writer for some military-related glossy mag.

You need to get on the ground in Sangin or Gereshk, or the Korengal to see it this stuff at work. And you need to sit in a shura or two and see how Soldiers--if they care to open their mind and learn--can pick up much of what it is they need to know about who's who in the zoo from:

1) listening to the unit they are replacing
2) doing a bit of studying of the problem set before they go
3) just stopping and talking to folks
4) spending some time listening to their linguists

You could validate all of the training's assumptions by going into country just before the next unit rotation, to observe the unit in place, and then watch these newly-trained Soldiers show up and begin to operate.

There would be no anecdotal information collected from surveys, AARs, etc. All primary source observations.

I am dead serious about the relevance of getting on the ground. If there was integrity to the analysis of the training's effectiveness, I venture to say that you'd see there isn't really quite the need that some folks think.

These are good points for analysis on the ground, and I can see IDA or NATO's JALLC being interested in reviewing those points first hand and reporting something of substance. Spending time at RC South, IJC, and North isn't anything like SOF experiences partnering with ANP and other elements, I understand and agree. I just hear all the feedback from those guys, compared to feedback I get some non-Intel or non-SF types and that's what got me interested in engagements at the local/tribal levels history and all. I have experienced the differences between national forces and their tactics, as well as how they relate and what they think of their time in AFGH. I try to give them some tools and resources to help them advocate, share their perspectives, and not be shy to look beyond their immediate 30ft.