Quote Originally Posted by Beelzebubalicious View Post
In the last few years, and more recently, I've been hearing some folks in the international development business who have worked or tried to work with military counterparts say that they hit a stone wall b/c their counterparts either directly or indirectly state that they know what the issues are and how to solve them. Amongst some in the development business, there's a belief that military counterparts don't get it and don't know that they don't get it.

I don't think the good folks at SWC are in this category (and I am not referring to anyone posting here), I'm just making a general statement that's obviously not true in every circumstance. I've just heard it enough now to throw it out there and see where it sticks (or hits back).

It no doubt goes the other way, too, and I've seen, heard and read evidence of this (I admit I am probably in this category).

Comments? Thoughts?
I particularly remember working with an NGO concerning "displaced Iraqis" back in 03-04. This lady flew into Mosul, I picked her up and "escorted" her to the "displacement camp". She had a lot of questions for me, but unfortunately, I was only able to answer the ones concerning security, for the most part. She asked me for a "write-up" on what displacement trends I had witnessed. I told her that I probably wasn't qualified to do that, but would make the attempt. It was my Company AO. She was pretty pleasant and nice, but it seemed that she didn't realize the inherent danger she was in and thought that Iraq was mostly made up of displacement camps. Strange situation, but she was probably sent there with that mindset. Overall, I think most military do "get it"; even though we aren't qualified or trained to, in most cases.