Recruiting for SWC members because....

[Tom Odom]

Rob

Good post and I agree completely. We have a pool of knowledge here that covers the experience spectrum, the cultural gamut, and spans the globe.

Best

Tom

[RTK]

This might not be a bad sticky for new users to read. Speaking of which (because I can't remember) do you have to read the intro sticky before posting the first time? Is there a way to get the intro sticky to pop up before the first post, just to make sure?

Having said that, I have no problem with others coming here and imparting wisdom. I do have problems with the drive bys and people who don't put their knowledge into a context (ie. no intro post, no user profile, etc). I think we do a good job as a council of policing these people up quickly and they, in turn, are quick to reply and correct. Is there a way to streamline the registration process or make profile completion a mandatory, "do not pass go" station before their first posts?

[Graycap]

Hey Rob, reading from your post maybe I could be one SWC superstar!

My curriculum:

I'm from Italy

Engineer graduated at Milan University in 1992

Military experience: Army second lieutenant in Italian Army (artillery). At that time In Italy there was compulsory military service and I volunteered to serve as an official. That made my service duration longer. Not involved in any real operation (the only one active abroad at that time was Somalia) but I have taken part at my regiment's training for partecipation in the Army intervention in Sicily against Mafia's territorial control.

Working position: small entrepreneur in heavy machinery maintenance (we work on cranes and aerial platforms)

Part-time : I write, when I can find spare time, for an italian webzine http://www.paginedidifesa.it about coin and irregular warfare. This is the principal reason why I visit regularly this incredible site.

Three different characters in one person...Maybe too much

But as you can see my post count is running low..

The reasons: First of all the very high level of dicussions. I'm here to learn. This community has so much experience embedded that I've nothing to add.
Maybe it's difficult for you to imagine how this wall seems high.
The second reason is my poor ability (my fault!) to write in english. I read perfectly this language but to write at the level requested by this forum is difficult.

In this very moment I'm realizing that I never introduced myself in the dedicated thread ...I'm flying at the Tell Us About You topic in a second!

Thanks to you all for your information and experience sharing. It's invaluable.

And now back to lurking.

Graycap

[Rob Thornton]

Hi Greycap,
Being from Tennessee, some might challenge my ability at English as well - reading your post it seems like you have very good command of the language indeed. I certainly understand you commitment to learn - however you have some incredible experience - as you get more comfortable with the council I hope you will benefit us all with that experience - but based on this:

Not involved in any real operation (the only one active abroad at that time was Somalia) but I have taken part at my regiment's training for partecipation in the Army intervention in Sicily against Mafia's territorial control.

Working position: small entrepreneur in heavy machinery maintenance (we work on cranes and aerial platforms)

I already want to hear what you have to say

My Best Regards, Rob

[Ken White]

Some -- most -- Italian equipment is top class and from an engineering standpoint is worthy of discussion and emulation. The application tactically being the goal of discussing...

Plus the Carabinieri experience has some lessons.

[JJackson]

Having just found this site I am interested in RTK's comment above re. profiles. I have no relevant specialist knowledge. I am a moderator on another completely unrelated site (about disease tracking H5N1 etc.) and have found many of the regular non-specialist posters make some of the most interesting - and knowledgeable - posts. While it is interesting to know if they are virologists or epidemiologists etc. I try to take each post on its own merits and not worry too much about the posters academic back ground, there are plenty of well credentialed 'experts' making factually incorrect statements.

I am British, a computer consultant, and my interest - in this area - relates to the foreign policies of Nation States and their global impact. As the US is the biggest player in this arena and its foreign policy seems to have an increasingly military face this site looks like it will be a very useful source of data.

[Rob Thornton]

JJ,
You read like value added to me based on your solely on your ability to reason - however your IT skills, understanding of CoPs and the subject matter you cover on the other board will be of great use.

ref:

and have found many of the regular non-specialist posters make some of the most interesting - and knowledgeable - posts. While it is interesting to know if they are virologists or epidemiologists etc. I try to take each post on its own merits and not worry too much about the posters academic back ground, there are plenty of well credentialed 'experts' making factually incorrect statements.

I concur, both for the reason you mention - while Holiday Inn Express has poked fun at a non-professional making astute observations - there is certainly truth to the some of the most qualified people I've known have missed some pretty obvious connections in their own field based on the way they look at things.

I also would like to see greater interest and participation by concerned "non-professionals" (meaning those with no military experience) because it fosters civil-military relations by helping them understand war and peace from various perspectives, and provides them the opportunity to play a positive role by educating the uniformed professional, statesman, diplomat and other stakeholders in things that may have escaped them (or in my case us ).

Best regards, Rob

[RTK]

Having just found this site I am interested in RTK's comment above re. profiles. I have no relevant specialist knowledge. I am a moderator on another completely unrelated site (about disease tracking H5N1 etc.) and have found many of the regular non-specialist posters make some of the most interesting - and knowledgeable - posts. While it is interesting to know if they are virologists or epidemiologists etc. I try to take each post on its own merits and not worry too much about the posters academic back ground, there are plenty of well credentialed 'experts' making factually incorrect statements.

While I agree with your final statement, I always like to be sure that the bit of advise I'm taking for the real-time or near-real time application of foreign policy at the tactical level isn't from the shmedlap sitting in the office next to mine. It also helps gain a perspective from a different direction, one perhaps I'd not thought of having a relevent application in a certain realm. I'm also not into getting foreign policy tips from a sophomore in high school.

It's not that I'm just looking for some Soldier or policy maker's perspective. Regardless of background, I (and others) would like to see what exactly the background is for a lot of the same reasons Rob wrote on in the first post. Many have much to add to the discussion from a lot of different angles. We're just trying to figure out which angle people have.

[Steve Blair]

It's not that I'm just looking for some Soldier or policy maker's perspective. Regardless of background, I (and others) would like to see what exactly the background is for a lot of the same reasons Rob wrote on in the first post. Many have much to add to the discussion from a lot of different angles. We're just trying to figure out which angle people have.

I think the angle or perception of a poster is important. In terms of experience...it's all relative. In my job I have to deal with military folks who think that 15+ years of military service qualifies them in some way to provide academic advice to college freshmen, even though they've never seen the inside of a college classroom themselves and have only the vaguest idea of what a college major really is. They don't understand how the university system works, but they think that their experience somehow translates directly to it.

One of the keys to experience, in my view, is knowing what you DON'T know. I've met people both in and out of the military who are seriously expert in their very narrow lanes of knowledge, but then think that that expertness (yeah...not a real word I don't think, but it sounds cool) somehow carries over to every other thing they touch. We're fortunate here in that we have a great number of people who understand what they don't know and are willing to offer up what they do know to help others fill their own gaps.

That said, I also find the high school sophomore foreign policy "expert" annoying, but at the same time it's interesting to see what they know, what they don't know, and what they THINK they know.

[DavidLuckie]

I just signed up here.

I'm an Economist, with degrees in Economics and Military History. I spent 17 years working for the Corps of Engineers and got lured into the private sector last year.

I worked on several projects for the Gulf Regional Division from 2004 through 2006, serving in a "reachback" capacity for GRD. BG Walsh was my Division Commander when he was at South Atlantic Division (and I scored a Challenge Coin from him for my reachback work).

I now work for a Civil Engineering, Surveying, Landscape Architecture and Planning firm with a good history of military and civilian agency work.

I'm looking forward to learning, and I'll probably lurk more than post.

Regards,

Dave

[marct]

Hi JJ,

It sounds like a lot of "value add" to me as well . I'm another one of the non-military people on this site. I'm a symbolic Anthropologist with an interest in applied symbology. I'm going to be supervising a directed reading course for a student of mine on the security effects of infectious diseases this term, so I will definitely want to pick your brains on that.

I think Steve hit it nicely when he said "One of the keys to experience, in my view, is knowing what you DON'T know." In a lot of ways, the SWC is more a Community of Interest with a focus on Practice, and that is one of our greatest strengths.

Marc

[doyle]

So I guess this is the thread to make an entrance. Another non-military member here. I lurk quite often checking the news stories and the new posts for the information that is not mainstream and the background intelligence that does not always come to the surface. I've been a member for quite some time, but not a participant. My qualifications are nil other than a deep interest in strategic maneuvering and foreign policy. Being an Information Technology professional I enjoy the details but see myself as a big picture person. I love trying to sort out how the details, innuendo, and undercurrents guide and shape the big picture.

My regional interests these days are focused on the South/Central Asian states. I tend to lurk for a while to get the feel for the regular posters and flavor of the boadr before jumping in with my thoughts but I lookl forward to the jump here. There is a lot of knowledge and as I see it, one of the biggest benefits of this site comes from the real world experiences of the posters.

Now, on to that profile...

[Adam L]

Hi, another non-military guy here. Thanks for posting this. I really felt uncomfortable saying things before.

I just moved to the Albany, NY area from Calgary, AB where I have been for the past 5 or so years. I have been a history, especially military, buff since the age of 3. Although history has probably by far been my greatest passion the only area I think I have not taken to studying is botany. I have spent a great deal of my time working on several patents which unfortunately, due to financial qualifications, I have not been able to pursue as of now. I would like to say I am an amateur engineer, but alas I do not qualify. My main outlook about life is and has always been learn everything you can from whomever or whatever and to get used to the fact that there is always someone out there who knows more than you.

I stumbled across this site a few days ago and found it to be in line with my interests. I hope I can provide some meaningful contribution.

That said, I also find the high school sophomore foreign policy "expert" annoying, but at the same time it's interesting to see what they know, what they don't know, and what they THINK they know.

I utterly and thoroughly agree. I've felt the same way since I was in the 9th grade. LOL.

[davidbfpo]

I came across this thread by accident, but what Rob Thornton posted nearly six years ago remains relevant today.

From my position in the UK and being an "armchair" warrior I sense SWC is in the doldrums currently. As Ken White has posted perhaps the USA, where the vast majority of members come from, is "war weary" after two gruelling wars and no prospect of 'small wars' ending.

SWC appears of late to have a group of mainly retirees or civilians posting regularly. With the DoD plus undergoing cuts, perhaps there is an in-service perception it is best to have a low profile.

With the benefit of an exchange with an American member SWJ is still going strong, as a recognised quality outlet for articles. Note many SWJ articles are written - my perception - by non-members, which is not a problem.

Added later:There is no requirement for SWC members to announce who they are, some do so voluntarily and anonymity is an option.