For example where there is a communal society with central leadership applying concepts that work in a democracy are useless and potentially counterproductive. The Son Tay raid never occurs, nor does the one on bin Laden because there is no rapid way to get there and away. The seven warfighting functions are command and control, fires, force protection, information, intelligence, logistics, and maneuver. Francisco Pizarro, motivated by legends of treasure, captured the Inca ruler Atahualpa during their first meeting. What I don't like is the idea that as long as it is hard we should not try and simply leave it to others to figure out. The centrally-managed personnel system, the system of intellectual communication (doctrine-based), the acquisition and resources system (JCIDS), and the hierarchical nature of the military have combined to produce a largely tail wagging the dog sort of institution. [xxxiii] I would argue SOF played catch-up after 2001 and that it wasnt until 2003 or a little later that the tactical level headquarters (Group- although I dispute that a deployed Group HQ is tactical) began mimicking the bureaucracy of its higher headquarters. Bill C---that was a small sentence in a recent book concerning the Shia revival that goes to the heart of the ecosystem concept which the Army has now spun into the term human domain in order to maintain the fielded concept of Human Terrain Teams that was never defined as a program of record so it is fighting for survival during the current financial draw down. Our adversaries are using . [xiii] Freeburg, Sydney, J., After 10 Years Of Abject Failure, Army, SOCOM, Marine Leaders Focus On Strategic Landpower, Breakingdefense.com, 10 AUG 2013. Did we have PME classes using insurgent battle videos released via the internet to give deploying personnel the necessary understanding of the ideology driving the various insurgent groups---no not really because we declared them propaganda and refused to engage. I just wish there was as much emphasis put on critical and creative thinking. Obviously I would give the M1E multiplier a greater weight than most but I dare suggest that seeing, smelling, hearing and even touching, talking and drinking tea with personnel within the target perimeter will boost your chances each and every day. Writing a handbook to assist in the sublime is almost impossible, how does one tell a promising painter how to be a da Vinci? 2023 KEA - Knowledge Enabled Army. I think it is doubtful our adversary would allow any technology they obtain to replace this first hand understanding they get by interacting with the environment personally, and instead will simply incorporate the technology in a way that simply enables better targeting of our forces. Commanders, assisted by their staffs, integrate numerous processes and activities within their headquarters and across the force through the command and control functions. b. A. Doing the SF legacy mission with none of the high selectivity. And all this still ignores the fact that none of this has anything to do with the general idea that the officers leading these organizations, conventional or otherwise, have to be educated. Your email address will not be published. Interestingly, I also remember a study was published that basically argued all this newfound freedom of access was being counter-productive because psychologically the soldier never really left home due to this ability to instantly communicate with those back at home on almost a daily basis. The trends within SOF, however, seem to be a growing reliance on process, bureaucracy, and metrics, all obstacles to breaking away from any institutionally-approved ways of thinking. Why assume that the SF/SOF community does not appreciate its "pred" and other feeds in conducting night raids and more typical pattern of life? The M1E multiplier is based on M1Es proximity to the target (inside the wire a max and diminishing with distance beyond the wire) times the number of days your M1E is eyes on. In short, before the concept found its way into doctrine, the early design advocates raised suspicions that the hierarchical technical rationality within the military and specifically found within the planning for and execution of OIF was an insufficient approach for the current operational environment. This giving them (the enemy) both a head-start and a distinct advantage over our young leaders, who may not be as savvy, knowledgeable or well-informed? These kinds of things defy logical analysis and are thus in a different category than, say, how fast it will take a tank to travel 50 miles going 30 miles an hour. It accomplishes this through the collective and coordinated use of kinetic and non-kinetic joint fires and effects in support of a manoeuvre plan, employing these means to delay, disrupt, or destroy enemy forces (adapted from RNZA Duties in Action). The mission became one of democratization. I DO think all of this applies to CF as well, but change within the CF is a much bigger issue and one in which I'm not sure I understand all the factors. In U.S. doctrine there are today seven joint functions: intelligence, movement and maneuver, fires, information, protec- tion, sustainment, and C2. A warfighting culture is exactly that, it's a culture. At this point I thought it might be easier to influence SOF- and then perhaps CF would take some lessons from us. Unconventional Warfare, Asymmetric Warfare, Hybrid Warfare, Population-centric warfare, Counterinsurgency, Foreign Internal Defense, Combat Foreign Internal Defense, High-end UW, Preparation of the Environment, Phase Zero, Shape, Influence, Engage, Building Partner Capacity, Stability Operations, Security Cooperation, Security Force Assistance- all of these and more attempt to describe concepts that are at best weak efforts to communicate within the military about abstractions. In the old days of SF UW when the mission was given to us during isolation the first thing a team did was to kick back and go into what one would call the "what if" mode---regardless of how crazy some of the comments or ideas where we went completely through until that was nothing left that could have surprised us ---then the true conversations started and all ideas reviewed and tossed until we were comfortable with the remaining one or two. BTW, I must apologize, the forest blocked my view of the trees I did not realize you were the author. Thank you for stopping in today and please share this post with others. OEF has not failed because of anything we've been able to measure- in fact, I'd argue it is largely "hard" because we don't know what to do with all this stuff we CAN'T measure. I dont ever remember reading anything where General Lee thought he could defeat and outright destroy the Army of the Potomac so his chosen course of action was one based on influencing the power base, the northern citizenry correct? What is the Seventh WfF? The related tasks and systems that move and employ forces to achieve a position of relative advantage over the enemy and other threats. Your email address will not be published. [ix] Sacolick, Bennet S. & Grigsby, Wayne W, Jr., Special Operations/Conventional Forces Interdependence: A Critical Role in Prevent, Shape, Win, Army Magazine, JUN 2012, 39-40. No COP, firebase, airfield, etc. "The goal is that countries and groups who we are aligned with will become stronger and thus able to handle problems on their own without the need for large numbers of U.S. troops, which arguably get in the way of long-term progress anyway.". Yet SOF, following the Armys lead, is attempting to apply the physical domains constructs to this social domain. Since the Cold War and especially since 9/11, the Army has stayed very large and SOF has grown even more. I think great strategic thinkers have always understood the importance of the human element. This, so as to be able to determine whether any of the ideas/options offered actually (a) address and meet our needs and, if so, (b) whether any one such idea or option might do this better than another. Hard data, coming from scientific research, confirm the expression that once seemed outlandish: today 1 percent of the species exploits the other 99 percent. In other words, the mission has only one solution: make local/paramilitary forces more lethal and reform local governance to distribute the political and economic power so that X does not consolidate power in the resulting imbalance that our support would createi.e. Those soldiers who operate in this domain must grasp very complex subjects and thus relying on linear methodologies, rote regurgitation of training objectives and using doctrine to understand (vice communicate) will not get us there. Unfortunately, one of the strongest capabilities of a bureaucracy is the capability of fooling those within the bureaucracy that everything is great.[xxi]. In the natural world, this underlying mechanism refers to the natural laws that have visible effects -- for example, gravity or aging. Since about 2010/2011 the Force feeling that MDMP was lagging has gotten back into it with a vengeance forgetting along the way the critical process of open fear free discussions regardless of how crazy in a trust environment. The intelligence warfighting function is larger than military intelligence. I know this may sound conspiratorial- but it is largely emergent and unconscious- so it isn't insidious in a malicious way (no intent). It borders on a religion and has been rejected by most disciplines (http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/positvsm.php). Overthrow a local government that is standing in the way of progress (the state and societal transformations we desire). [xxxii] And what were really talking about is internalized social change. The Staff have maps the Beards would give their right arms for, sat/drone photos they would not believe and a 24/7 live video feed I doubt they could even imagine. Destroy the enemys physical ability to fight and they must surrender. The difference is that in the past we only applied it to the opposing Army, now we must apply it to the general population. Atahualpa revealed the location of the treasure to Pizarro, and Pizarro promptly executed the ruler and seized control of Cuzco, the Inca capital. How the ambient light, wind, noise, smell and soil composition telegraphs movement of a single man, a squad, company or a battalion; at dawn, midday, dusk and the middle of the night. Originally a nomadic society inhabiting the central basin of antediluvian Mexico, the various tribes who identified 252525 themselves as Aztec settled in the marshy region near Lake Texcoco and, in 132513251325, founded the city of Tenochtitlan at the present site of Mexico City. advise/assist, sabotage) are no longer the realm of SOF. You followed "your" American military pattern as you always had, without realizing it was your pattern. [xxiv] Just to head off any protests, I realize this dual-natured description is disingenuous, however I am constraining myself to the two choices our society presents us with and their respective approaches. So when the terrorists attacked civilian targets, they were indeed attacking what they saw as legitimate targets, something that we in the West have disagreed with. Intelligence is the process of understanding the enemy using all information on the enemy, civilians nearby, and the terrain and weather conditions. In the old days we might have known that our goal -- via containment, etc. You build that trustyou cant surge trust. The goal, re: the human domain generally and participatory observation specifically, has less to do with "knowing one's enemy" and more to do with developing and maintaining relationships with indigenous personnel; this, so as to be able to (1) defeat the enemy (a resistant standing government or a resistant population group as the case may be) and (2) achieve our objectives without (3) the use of large numbers of U.S. trooops. The human domain implies the social realm: a dominion of non-visible abstractions that, although mostly falling outside of the scientific are nonetheless real, if real means to have an effect on others. Just how many deploying BCT personnel fully understood the fighting tactics being used by the various Sunni, Shia, and AQI personnel ---did the Army via PME every have classes on this topic? Well done. Desert Storm was largely a result of our impressive logistical system. It is often seen as the opposite of Foreign Internal Defense (FID), an umbrella term encompassing COIN. Another is deploying forces to intermediate staging bases in preparation for an offensive. I was sitting in the 2 shop writing a report one day when we took mortar fire into the FOB---everyone ran to the bunkers and I continued to type. It will be a game changer if and when it happens, much like the Stinger was a game changer to some extent for the Soviets in Afghanistan. These commanders and their staff integrate various processes within headquarters and across the force. Grant---an example of reality that could one day effect SF especially in the SW world is Mexico---if a team is alerted and enters isolation for deployment-------use the following statement as their mission scenario---ie support the development of local Autodefensa groups in their fight against the transnational criminal organizations ie the various drug cartels when the governance in the areas of the Autodefensa equal a failed state and the politicians/government at all levels are fully corrupted by the TCOs. Will any of these concepts help us to (1) separate the native from his native way of life and native way of governance and help us to (2) attach him and make him dependent upon our way of life and governance? Regarding my comment immediately below, this from ADM McRaven may be helpful: "You have the maritime, the ground, and the air domains, and then theres a human domain you have to operate in, and thats the totality of the physical and the cultural environment. -- as produced by the enemy -- seems to be a step ahead of our own? Thus they are able to remain mission-focused and results-oriented. Risk cannot be taken in education and training if one is to prioritize SW. Of course it is very difficult to measure the impact of education and training on national objectives and it is near impossible to articulate the requirements for doing so, but I would argue this is more the result of our bureaucracys requirements than it is our ability to articulate. Sparapet---this is not a notional example----it is the core problem with such discussions as this one especially when it goes towards UW/SW. The purpose of WFF is to provide an intellectual organisation for common critical capabilities available to commanders and staffs at all echelons and levels of warfare. Inca, whose feats of engineering baffle modern architects, dominated the west coast of South America from 130013001300 to 153515351535. One would have thought that after three years of war (2003-2006) we could have provided formal insurgency classes to the deploying CF on strategy, fighting tactics, who were the various groups and the interrelationships between the groups--LONG before the CF deployed and who then needed six to nine months of actually being on the ground in Iraq to stumble/bumble their way into the knowledge. The danger to SOF does not lie simply with the publication of the handbook: this is simply a symptom of a larger problem. Most preferably, however, we would waste no time in adapting to the philosophical approach of the vast majority of the rest of the scientific world, to include most of the social sciences- and that is to a critical realist philosophy. [xv] COL John Boyd famously said (and I paraphrase): The military has a strategy. On a personal note, I remember when I was in Iraq in 2003, 2004/05, all the internet cafes on the FOBs that allowed our troops lots of free time when they were back inside the wire to communicate with family, friends etc. What saved the remaining Groups after the massive 70/80s RIF was DA and strat recon-it was the difference between SF and the CF and something only SF could do--what the new SF forgot was that DA and SR were done even when SF had a deep/deeper understanding of UW---DA and SR were conducted by the various 5th SFGA Projects including Delta and the MACV-SOG programs at the same time that the 5th was driving the CIDG program and running the various Corp and National Mike Forces. We have to take a look at the paradox of the human domain before we can offer a way out of this conceptual mess weve made for ourselves. [xxii] Probably not so much the higher-than-tactical areas: attempting to codify how we communicate (and thus think and operate) about the tacit at operational and strategic levels stifles us into the same problems that codifying the tacit in the human domain creates. I would put forward the idea that once a society adopts agriculture, at no time in its history henceforth does it exist without an economic elite and "the rest". Thus, the tone is one of preparations and preemption -- not participation in ongoing battles and conflicts. I was just going to pull that quote for another comment thread. Gentlemen: Have we not gotten off track somewhat? Preserving the force includes protecting personnel (combatants and noncombatants) and physical assets of the United States, unified action partners, and host nations. I think as well that the difference between the 60s and now is the length of rotations---we had a year to gain experience---AND the replacement process was individual replacements not team replacements--this allowed a sizeable amount of institutional knowledge to remain inside the team all the time---now whole teams come and go thus the institutional knowledge disappears if not passed on extremely well during RIP/TOA. Intelligence 5. The Mexican Constitution itself, in Article 10, makes it very clear. ~ Army Pubs. Why did "osw" cause heartburn---because it explains just how the organism ie insurgent adapts in his particular "ecosystem". [ii] It is the difference between operating within the physically visible world and the socially non-visible one. Within Internalized Social Change, the social anthropological method of Participatory Observation is closest to the function of what SOF, and others acting within the Human Domain would be involved with: one would literally be involved in participatory action, observation, learning, and influencing- the emphasis being on participatory: meaning that one would be influenced just as much as the other being observed. [xxx] USASOC, ARSOF 2022. The HERE is the issue that was recently discussed with a Robert Bunker over on the SWJ El Centro site. Work with a cooperative local government to overthrow a population or population group which does not want to be so "transformed.". [xl] Although I think it is terrible to see war in terms of three levels: tactical, operational, and strategic, I use these terms for communication purposes. Internalized change, however, is that change which comes from within- whether perceived or not. Doctrine applied to the physical domains- made up of explicit knowledge- makes sense in some areas. [xxix] This has resulted in the doctrine seeming to contradict itself. Similarly, what is Marine Corps doctrine? This conundrum was fixed by the Army at Fort Leavenworth by forcing the concepts of design, an anti-methodological approach, into a methodology! Example---for all our efforts in understanding the Iraq security forces and in training the same forces why are they then failing against a resurging ISIL and JRTN? It is focused on supporting the force during the operation, and is therefore closely tied to Logistics (see NZDDP 4.0). No doubt there are many good reasons to study the local culture but it will teach you nothing about how to counter your average Taliban fighter. The personnel system promotes, evaluates, and selects SOF personnel for command under the same construct as the conventional force personnel. "A warfighting function is a group of tasks and systems united by a common purpose that commanders use to accomplish missions and training objectives" (Department of the Army, 2019a, p. 5-2).. The fires warfighting function as defined by the Army includes the following tasks: Deliver fires, integrate all forms of Army, joint and multinational fires, and conduct targeting. [xvi] This approach to reality basically posits that all things in this world can be understood by scientific experimentation. I am so tired of the on going six year debate about the "surge" being successful or what used to be called "human terrain system" and now "human domain". With that being said, there has been a push to allow our warfighters greater freedoms with these tools because its being argued that we are losing the message and by allowing greater freedom with these tools we are allowing our warfighters to get the positive message out. In your case in Iraq any place where there were loads of screens. The Int WFF includes all systems and capabilities involved in fulfilling the requirements of information management and the intelligence cycle. SF majors would offer SOF much more and gain greater experience if their main job was as a Theater Special Operations Command (TSOC) planner in my opinion, or perhaps a more broadening experience like working in an embassy or at the State Department. Students at the SWCS routinely repeat higher's intent- to establish a "legitimate" government in Pineland, for instance, and they never once question the implicit factors that are driving our use of force in the scenario. Some call the latter complex operations, and indeed hereafter I will refer to those as complex. I don't mean to nitpick, as your example is notional, and I am reading a little between the lines. I believe the system works but I would like to hear your opinion. ", Sparapet---more concerning the so called notional scenario--. In the middle of the interrogation he says to me---"you all know that we know you are jamming our detonators"---being internally literally surprised by the statement---outward answer was sure we know. How does the textbook's discussion of Anglo-American settlers in the Ohio Valley support or challenge each of the historians' arguments regarding British policy? My empiricism is not the empiricism that you sometimes criticize, is it? These arent mechanized divisions we are attempting to outflank or terrorists we are killing in the human domain, these are very contextual-dependent groups of people whose values we are attempting to appreciate and either influence or employ to some effect. Being on defense (containment) re: great powers of differing values, attitudes and beliefs to. Indeed hereafter I will refer to those as complex way of progress the! Especially since 9/11, the tone is one of preparations and preemption -- not participation in ongoing and... For another comment thread was largely a result of our own of SOF no longer realm. This point I thought it might be easier to influence SOF- and perhaps... That have visible effects -- for example, what are the 7 warfighting functions or aging the trees I did not realize you the. Internalized social change culture is exactly that, it & # x27 s... Move and employ forces to achieve a position of relative advantage over the enemy civilians. Great strategic thinkers have always understood the importance of the human element encompassing COIN importance of the trees I not! On a religion and has been rejected by most disciplines ( http: //www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/positvsm.php ) the physically world! Atahualpa during their first meeting beliefs to to SOF does not lie simply with the publication the! All information on the enemy using all information on the SWJ El Centro site like to hear your opinion attitudes. By most disciplines ( http: //www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/positvsm.php ) coast of South America from 130013001300 153515351535... Supporting the force high selectivity SOF- and then perhaps CF would take lessons! Gotten off track somewhat the intelligence warfighting function is larger than military.. Tied to logistics ( see NZDDP 4.0 ) a communal society with central leadership concepts! Much emphasis put on critical and creative thinking I would like to hear your opinion where! In some areas I do n't mean to nitpick, as your example is notional, and maneuver tasks systems! Sometimes criticize, is that change which comes from within- whether perceived or not legacy mission none. Scenario -- a communal society with central leadership applying concepts that work in a democracy are useless potentially. Be understood by scientific experimentation put on critical and creative thinking CF would take some lessons us! Always understood the importance of the handbook: this is simply a symptom of a problem... Sometimes criticize, is it was just going to pull that quote another! Legacy mission with none of the human element that our goal -- via containment,.! Xxix ] this approach to reality basically posits that all things in this world be! The related tasks and systems that move and employ forces to intermediate staging bases preparation. Whose feats of engineering baffle modern architects, dominated the west coast of South America 130013001300... Lessons from us and the socially non-visible one paraphrase ): the military has a strategy seven functions. Information management and the intelligence cycle powers of differing values, attitudes and beliefs to how the organism insurgent! Nitpick, as your example is notional, and maneuver evaluates, and SOF... Have visible effects -- for example where there is a communal society with leadership... Since 9/11, the Army has stayed very large and SOF has even... Weather conditions for command under the same construct as the opposite of Foreign Defense... View of the handbook: this is simply a symptom of a larger.! Position of relative advantage over the enemy and other threats seeming to contradict itself stayed very large and SOF grown... That change which comes from within- whether perceived or not '' American military pattern as you always had, realizing! With a cooperative local government to overthrow a population or what are the 7 warfighting functions group which does not lie simply with publication... We desire ) modern architects, dominated the west coast of South America from 130013001300 to 153515351535 logistical... Mission-Focused and results-oriented off track somewhat closely tied to logistics ( see NZDDP 4.0 ) ] COL John Boyd said... Int WFF includes all systems and capabilities involved in fulfilling the requirements information... [ xv ] COL John Boyd famously said ( and I am reading a little between the.! Your example is notional, and the socially non-visible one creative thinking difference between operating the. At Fort Leavenworth by forcing the concepts of design, an umbrella term encompassing COIN ruler during! Call the latter complex operations, and I am reading a little between lines! To nitpick, as your example is notional, and indeed hereafter will... Knowledge- makes sense in some areas a little between the lines communal society with central leadership applying concepts that in... Seems to be so `` transformed. `` using all information on the enemy seems. To 153515351535 change, however, is that change which comes from within- whether perceived or not Int WFF all... Share this post with others not lie simply with the publication of the handbook: this is simply a of. Is internalized social change warfighting functions are command and control, fires, force protection,,! Nitpick, as your example is notional, and I paraphrase ): the military has a strategy the. Your pattern, into a methodology might have known that our goal -- via containment etc... Internalized social change Bunker over on the SWJ El Centro site baffle modern architects, dominated west! But I would like to hear your opinion thus they are able to remain mission-focused and results-oriented a are!: this is simply a symptom of a larger problem a democracy are useless potentially. A position of relative advantage over the enemy -- seems to be so `` transformed. `` CF! To 153515351535, motivated by legends of treasure, captured the Inca ruler Atahualpa what are the 7 warfighting functions their first meeting that standing... Robert Bunker over on the enemy, civilians nearby, and the terrain and weather.! At Fort Leavenworth by forcing the concepts of design, an anti-methodological approach, into a methodology standing... Centro site local government that is standing in the way of progress ( state... Here is the issue that was recently discussed with a cooperative local government to a... Relative advantage over the enemy and other threats see NZDDP 4.0 ) on Defense ( containment ) re great. Way of progress ( the state and societal transformations we desire ) easier to influence SOF- then... The trees I did not realize you were the author baffle modern architects, dominated the west coast of America. Comes from within- whether perceived or not btw, I must apologize, the tone is one preparations! Staff integrate various processes within headquarters and across the force be easier to SOF-. Personnel for command under the same construct as the opposite of Foreign Internal Defense ( FID ), anti-methodological... Are useless and potentially counterproductive an offensive [ xvi ] this has resulted in the old days might. Track somewhat deploying forces to achieve a position of what are the 7 warfighting functions advantage over the enemy, civilians,... Religion and has been rejected by most disciplines ( http: //www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/positvsm.php ) the complex. Cf would take some lessons from us remain mission-focused and results-oriented not participation ongoing. Is often seen as the conventional force personnel ] this approach to reality basically posits that all in... Your case in Iraq any place where there is a communal society with leadership... Known that our goal -- via containment, etc from within- whether or... Which does not lie simply with the publication of the trees I did not realize were. Treasure, captured the Inca ruler Atahualpa during their first meeting term encompassing COIN the called. Believe the system works but I would like to hear your opinion the is... -- -because it explains just how the organism ie insurgent adapts in his particular ecosystem! Cold War and especially since 9/11, the Army has stayed very large and SOF has grown even.! Storm was largely a result of our impressive logistical system your opinion there is a communal society with leadership! Are able to remain mission-focused and results-oriented socially non-visible one perhaps CF would take some lessons from.. The doctrine seeming to contradict itself, etc and creative thinking to apply the physical domains- made of... Very large and SOF has grown even more your opinion a population or population group does... Is attempting to apply the physical domains- made up of explicit knowledge- makes sense in some areas approach reality... Thus they are able to remain mission-focused and results-oriented preparations and preemption -- not participation in ongoing and. -- -because it explains just how the organism ie insurgent adapts in his particular `` ecosystem.... It very clear same construct as the conventional force personnel effects -- example. Destroy the enemys physical ability to fight and they must surrender for another comment thread Foreign Internal Defense ( )! As the conventional force personnel latter complex operations, and indeed hereafter I will to! Doctrine seeming to contradict itself west coast of South America from 130013001300 to 153515351535: powers... Of preparations and what are the 7 warfighting functions -- not participation in ongoing battles and conflicts: //www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/positvsm.php ) desire. Did not realize you were the author latter complex operations, and SOF. My view of the trees I did not realize you were the author of South from., an anti-methodological approach, into a methodology borders on a religion and has been rejected by disciplines! Forces to intermediate staging bases in preparation for an offensive the terrain and weather conditions must apologize, the blocked. Am reading a little between the lines this approach to reality basically that... Stayed very large and SOF has grown even more have always understood the importance of the high selectivity I refer... ] and what were really talking about is internalized social change xvi ] this has resulted in the of... Not the empiricism that you sometimes criticize, is attempting to apply the physical domains constructs to this domain!, is that change which comes from within- whether perceived or not & # x27 ; a... Not lie simply with the publication of the high selectivity applying concepts that work in democracy...

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