SWJED wrote
"As has been pounded home many times on the SWC - experience combined with training and education is the key to success. When we throw in strategic compression and expect wonders from the strategic corporal (and all small unit leaders) we have to start looking at aging the force. TX talked about majors as company commanders and staff sergeants as squad leaders as a start. Of course simply aging the force is not the silver bullet - proper training, education and experience must go hand-in-hand."
Tom wote:
"But getting back to Nagl and ideas of adaptive leadership, the key to adaptive leadership is experience. You cannot train experience; you can train from experience. Adaptive leadership for inexperienced soldiers is a certain part smarts and a large part guessing. Adaptive leadership based on experience is infinitely preferable and certainly more survivable."
Well said. Now check this out:

From H-Diplo Listserv

"Forwarded From: "Herrera, Ricardo A Dr CSI"
<Ricardo.A.Herrera@us.army.mil>

CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENT

Warfare in the Age of Non-State Actors:
Implications for the U.S. Army
11-13 September, 2007
Fort Leavenworth Frontier Conference Center
Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

Organizers: The United States Army Combat Studies Institute,
Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Combat Studies Institute will host
a symposium entitled "Warfare in the Age of Non-State Actors:
Implications for the U.S. Army." The symposium will include
a mixture of guest speakers, panel sessions, and general
discussions.

This conference will explore the impact of conflict between
nations and non-state combatants within a historical context.
The conference will examine current issues, dilemmas, problems,
trends, and practices associated with conflict between
constituted nations and trans-national, religious, ethnic or
criminal groups.

Proposed Program: CSI will issue a Call for Papers in October
2006. While the symposium program is tentative and flexible,
CSI expects it to include the following panels and topics:

- Non-State Actors and their impact on strategic communications
and Information Operations.

- Law of War and Military Doctrine dealing with Non-State Actors.

- The military's role in conflict termination and securing the
political end state especially if one or more combatants is a
Non-State Actor (e.g. Hezbollah, IRA, FARC, FMLN, al Qaeda).

- The armed forces as part of the interagency process.

- Military operations with International Government Organizations
and Non-Governmental Organizations.

- Tactics of militaries and rogue organizations or Non-State
Actors on the battlefield.

- The military and cultural awareness.

- The role of technology in empowering and combating Non-State
Actors.

- Impact of Non-State Actors on Global economics and Non-State
Actors' financing.

For more information on the symposium, please contact CSI at
913-684-2139 or email: CSIconference07@leavenworth.army.mil
<mailto:CSIconference07@leavenworth.army.mil> .

Ricardo A. Herrera, Ph.D.
U.S. Army Combat Studies Institute
201 Sedgwick Ave
Ft. Leavenworth, KS 66027

O: (913) 684-2126
F: (913) 684-4861

http://usacac.army.mil/CAC/csi/INDEX.asp
<http://usacac.army.mil/CAC/csi/INDEX.asp>"
That might be a good place for SWC regulars to make their points.