Steve,

Here's one possible way ahead that could be easily implemented.

Given the problem (as I understand it)- in small wars, we cannot get the right people to the right place at the right time. Various explanations as to why (security situation, unwillingness to deploy, salary, etc.)

Assumptions:
- In the gap, the military is taking over many of the stabilization tasks.
- The United States has a vast amount of intellectual capital.
- This is not 1850. We invented something called the internet.

Solution- Harness the power of social networking and the web and outsource the problem. Groups like ashoka.org do this with micro-financing.

Way Ahead- Outsource the problem.
1. Hire non-deployable civilian experts to work full-time or part time on problem sets.
2. Develop website to facilitate share of information.
3. Military and Political officers work as facilitators instead of problem-solvers. For example, X Infantry commander in Kabul has an issue with re-establishing school system for his town. He develops and defines the problem and send it via email or website back to US.
4. Civilian experts read the problem and send back RFI's (Request For Information). CDR answers questions. Civilian experts work the problem and send back a solution.
5. Military CDR implements. Civilian experts stand by to answer further questions.

We do a little of this on SWJ. The Stryker brigades do it everyday with intel analysis.

It seems like a very simple solution.

Best,

Mike