The concept of "adaptation"

[Rob Thornton]

Hey Ken,

I've done some thinking on the benefits of a permanent Advisory Corps. I think it has much merit. The down side of course it the cost (particularly if done right) - it would probably take 2-3 of the BCTs of the planned increase off line as conventional BCTs (but should allow the remaining BCTs more focus and less personnel turbulence with individual taskings for TTs.)

The benefits though could help bring about the types of changes we've been discussing. By having it set up as an assignment with a permanent HQs, soldiers would rotate through at the appropriate times in their development (based on the size and composition of the effort). The training and experience set they'd pick by virtue of the mission could be exported back into the main stream Army as they rotate back to regular BCTs, Higher HQs and the Institutional Army in general.

To do it right there would be a solid train up focused on an identified upcoming advisory mission (about 1 year out) that at least got the team in the right geographic ball park - for languages, specific culture type training, etc. - plus gave the team enough time to do its specific team training that allowed it to operate in a reduced support environment. If you had about 2 years left after that year you could break it up for something around an 8 month mission, 8 month break and refit, 8 month 2nd deployment. Or you could do a one year deployment, then come back and act as cadre for the next year. I think you could even break it up in a series of long and shorts, or just a series of shorts - the key is identifying it up front so the team leadership knows their cycle and can plan appropriately.

You remember the question in another thread I asked you about UW? I also think this could assist in providing a supporting effort to SOF in a campaign where UW required the bulk of our SOF resources, and a larger supporting effort was required.

In that regard, I'd almost say we need to go beyond labeling it an Advisory Corps, and consider something along the lines of a Special Service Corps for GP forces where one of the key METL tasks was FID (others might be associated with small unit UW), and the other tasks were related. However, this is going to make some people nervous for many of the aforementioned reasons. I do think it could become a clearing house for infusing soldiers and leaders in the non-SOF Army with some of the skill/abilities/traits and attributes we want in main stream Army.

Again, those are the general thoughts I have on the subject of why it might be a good thing beyond our identified requirements of OIF/OEF.


Best Regards, Rob