SS Advisor

[Anthony Hoh]

You may read this post as the incoherent grumblings of an individual. Or hopefully you can read this post and understand why I know the Army still has a long, long way to go in the process currently used to select members for advisory duty. I hope other SWJ members can appreciate how me venting this frustration is only partly a sign of my discontent. Please know that I remain faithful to our Army and will do whatever is required of me.

Now, on to why I have placed this thread...

Four months ago I was told that since I had 36 months TRADOC time, I needed to get back out into the real Army. I carefully weighed my options. This is the first time in 15 years I had the opportunity to make a major career decision without it being made for me. What to do? Go back to Bragg, Campbell, Korea? I was just coming off of three years as an O/C learning about effects, EOF, COIN. I am an OEF three vet and have already done my line time. What to do?

I called RGR branch and volunteered for Advisory duty in Afghanistan. After I convinced my branch manger I was serious they gladly cut my orders. (I am going to leave out report dates etc, because of the openness of this forum.) Needless to say I had several months to prepare. 45 days out from my report date I get a call from HRC. They stood up a NG unit to fill this assignment, and I would now have to change my report date and AOR.

Lets review....

No one called my number, no one made me go. I volunteered. I didnt try to sham out at AC/RC or another erroneous assignment. I wanted to take the experience's I have at observing and improving units, to include experiences in that same country and apply it to make a kandak better. I am now replaced by a NG Soldier who is being sent. (Anybody at HRC ever read Galula or Sepp?) Look at Nagl's NAS study on building an Advisor Corps. Is this the quality people we are selecting? Taking Soldiers who dont want to be an Advisor over those who do? I have no bones against the NG, they are warriors too. But as a whole organization I dont put the NG on the same par as AD.

I explained to HRC that I had been on this assignment for two and a half months. Already had the knock down fight with the wife that I was going back into theater, and I had my clearing papers. They relented and said to stay with my orders.

Unfortunately, that has only put me in a worse position, I will now show to Riley without being on a team. I called them this morning and they arent tracking my arrival at all. I have had a hard copy of orders since May. Anybody ever read Kilcullen, the building of the Advisory team is the first key to success.

I realize this post has probably not enlightened anyone, (however it is good therapy for me to type it out.) I would offer this as a first hand testimony as to how the Advisory effort is truly going. Bullets arent flying, people arent dying and we cant get an assigment for a Soldier straight.

I feel that I am the S.S. Advisor and I see a little assignment iceberg in front of me.

In Service
Arh