Hi Guys,
RR, overall, I think it looks pretty good, although I have a few reservations.
1. the overall culture first aim point is good, but there is a lot of validity to specific aim point. I would suggest that, in the overall cultural awareness training, you concentrate mainly on the cluster of semi-nomads: segmented kinship lineage, strong honour systems, warrior cultures, strict gender divisions, strong oral culture, etc. Normally in Anth, that would mean pastoralists, but there is a segment that is horticultural (e.g. the old Goths ~ 400 ce, Scots borderers, etc.) that parallels the Afghans of Helmand. That type of concentration (nomads and semi-nomads) should cover most of the areas that you are liekly to deploy to over the next 20 years or so.
2. I notice that you are going to have Captains training the troops. Are the Sgt Maj's going to be at that training as well? You're going to need your SNCO's and/or WO's to "translate" a fair chunk of the material.
3. Are you going to build in something in the ISTAR training on how to talk with the Yanks? They're the ones with most of the air power and a fair bit of the artillery, and I fully expect them to still be operating in Helmand in 2010-11. Indeed, in the last 6 months pre-deployment, you should know which US units will be operating in the area, so it would be worthwhile to try and set up either liasons or some type of "joint" exercise.
More later...
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