By Jim Garamone
Dec. 18, 2006 – "Learn" and "adapt" are the key messages of the new Army and Marine Corps Counterinsurgency Field Manual, which just hit the streets. The Counterinsurgency Field Manual, FM 3-24 and Marine Corps Warfighting Publication 3-33.5, is a unique joint effort between the Army and Marines to put in place doctrine to help operators as they face the challenges of asymmetric warfare.
You can download the manual at Counterinsurgency Manual.
The manual codifies an important lesson of insurgencies: it takes more than the military to win. "There are more than just lethal operations involved in a counterinsurgency campaign," said Conrad Crane, director of the U.S. Army Military History Institute, in Carlisle, Pa., and one of the leaders of the effort.
He said the team working on the manual decided early on to emphasize the interagency aspect of counterinsurgency fights. "The military is only one piece of the puzzle," Crane said. "To be successful in a counterinsurgency, you have to get contributions from a lot of different agencies, international organizations, non-governmental organizations and host-nation organizations. There are so many people involved to make counterinsurgency successful."
All of these organizations bring important weapons to the campaign, "and you've got to bring unity of effort if you can to make it effective," he said.
Lt. Col. Lance McDaniel, a branch head at the Marine Corps Combat Development Center at Quantico, Va., said the manual is aimed at battalion-level officers and NCOs, but felt that all who read it could gain some insight into the difficulties of a counterinsurgency war. "We see this being part of the pre-deployment training units undergo," McDaniel said. "Once on the ground they can adapt the ideas from the manual to their particular location and enemy."
The Army and Marine Corps have shared field manuals in the past, but this is the first on which the two services worked closely to write, both Crane and McDaniel said. "This was a real team effort of Army and Marine writers," Crane said. "What I tell people is we had about 20 primary writers on the manual and about 600,000 editors."
Crane said many soldiers and Marines commented on the manual and provided input to the final product. "We received more than 1,000 comments from people actually doing the mission," he said.
But it didn't stop with military feedback. State Department employees, CIA officials, academic experts and representatives of the international human rights community contributed insights to the manual, McDaniel said. "I hope the publication will make it easier for other agencies and organizations to work with us," he said.
Chapter 4, a discussion on Campaign Design, is a unique aspect of the manual. "The Marines brought that to the manual," Crane said.
Before beginning a campaign, planners must identify the problem that needs solving, then be ready to change the plan as conditions change on the ground, Crane said. "In counterinsurgency, that is so important because it is a complex situation," he said.
A counterinsurgency campaign is much more complex than a traditional military-on-military conflict. The make-up of the community, the needs of the various groups, the history of the area, traditional allies in the region, and many other things contribute to understanding how to design a counterinsurgency campaign. "It takes a lot more analysis before you jump into it, because if you do the wrong thing, it could have major implications," Crane said. "You have to be sure you are applying the right solution to the right problem."
Crane said the idea of campaign design will probably permeate other Army field manuals.
The new counterinsurgency manual uses examples from fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq, but also uses examples from the Napoleonic War, the U.S. experience in Vietnam, and counterinsurgency efforts in the Philippines, Malaya (now Malaysia) and South America. Crane and McDaniel agree that insurgencies are the wars of the future. The idea of a nation taking on the United States army to army or navy to navy is remote, given the U.S. conventional expertise. "Enemies will make us fight these kinds of wars until we get them right," Crane said. "Then they'll switch."
The manual is informed by Afghanistan and Iraq, but also informed by history, Crane said. "We tried to glean what was useful from the historical record, but also with the realization that there are a lot of things that are new out there, Crane said. "Trying to grapple with the nature of contemporary insurgency was one of the toughest parts of writing it."
The manual is not limited to operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. "If we've created a manual that is just good for Iraq and Afghanistan, we've failed," he said. "This thing has got to be focused on the future and the next time we do this."
The manual is going to be useful in Iraq and Afghanistan, but much of what the manual covers is already being done in those theaters. "The manual is future-focused," Crane said. "The manual gives you the tools to do your analysis and the guidelines to apply it with the understanding that every situation is going to be unique."
It also will be rewritten, as needed, the men said.
Both men said the manual is receiving a good reception. "This is not a doctrine that is being jammed down peoples' throats," Crane said." This is a doctrine that they are demanding."
Article sponsored by criminal justice leadership; and, police and military personnel who have become writers.
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Safeguarding Information Technology Vital to DoD
By Gerry J. Gilmore
Dec. 18, 2006 – Safeguarding and protecting vital computer-accessed information is the job of everyone working at the Defense Department, a senior DoD official said. "It's the responsibility for everyone to be sensitive to the security of their information, their passwords, the use of their (common access) cards to protect the information that they wish to convey or they are receiving from someone," John G. Grimes, assistant secretary of defense for networks and information integration and DoD's chief information officer, said.
The Defense Department is constantly under surveillance by potential enemies interested in accessing DoD systems to obtain sensitive information, Grimes said during a Pentagon Channel interview.
Information technology is moving so quickly today that the processes that acquire and field needed information are playing "catch-up," Grimes said. "It's still too slow to keep up with the technology change," Grimes said. "So, that, coupled with protecting the information that's out there on the network are the two major concerns that I have."
A major effort is under way with the National Security Agency to introduce new and improved information technology security measures across DoD's computer networks, Grimes said.
Joint Task Force Global Network Operations works with U.S. Strategic Command to monitor the military's global information operations network for vulnerabilities, he said. The task force would also work to identify the culprits "if there's an event that's happened and someone has penetrated your (computer information) networks," Grimes said.
Continual evolution of information technology drives the demand for new systems that increase network capabilities, he said. This incessant upgrading involves land-based IT systems as well as satellite delivery networks. "It's refreshed; it's upgraded because the technology is changing," he said.
Maintaining information security is a continuing process, much like the "Check It" campaign that seeks across-the-board improvements in the way the Defense Department conducts its daily business. Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England launched the program July 28.
"If you check things, then what should happen, will happen," England said at the "Check It" kick-off at the Pentagon. "It's what we want to do every day in the jobs we do."
Article sponsored by criminal justice leadership; and, police and military personnel who have become writers.
Dec. 18, 2006 – Safeguarding and protecting vital computer-accessed information is the job of everyone working at the Defense Department, a senior DoD official said. "It's the responsibility for everyone to be sensitive to the security of their information, their passwords, the use of their (common access) cards to protect the information that they wish to convey or they are receiving from someone," John G. Grimes, assistant secretary of defense for networks and information integration and DoD's chief information officer, said.
The Defense Department is constantly under surveillance by potential enemies interested in accessing DoD systems to obtain sensitive information, Grimes said during a Pentagon Channel interview.
Information technology is moving so quickly today that the processes that acquire and field needed information are playing "catch-up," Grimes said. "It's still too slow to keep up with the technology change," Grimes said. "So, that, coupled with protecting the information that's out there on the network are the two major concerns that I have."
A major effort is under way with the National Security Agency to introduce new and improved information technology security measures across DoD's computer networks, Grimes said.
Joint Task Force Global Network Operations works with U.S. Strategic Command to monitor the military's global information operations network for vulnerabilities, he said. The task force would also work to identify the culprits "if there's an event that's happened and someone has penetrated your (computer information) networks," Grimes said.
Continual evolution of information technology drives the demand for new systems that increase network capabilities, he said. This incessant upgrading involves land-based IT systems as well as satellite delivery networks. "It's refreshed; it's upgraded because the technology is changing," he said.
Maintaining information security is a continuing process, much like the "Check It" campaign that seeks across-the-board improvements in the way the Defense Department conducts its daily business. Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England launched the program July 28.
"If you check things, then what should happen, will happen," England said at the "Check It" kick-off at the Pentagon. "It's what we want to do every day in the jobs we do."
Article sponsored by criminal justice leadership; and, police and military personnel who have become writers.
Military Aircrews Continue Supporting Mount Hood Rescue Effort
By Donna Miles
Dec. 18, 2006 – After finding the body of one missing climber on Mount Hood, Ore., members of the Oregon Army National Guard, Nevada Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve are continuing the search today for two other lost climbers. Rescue crews, joined by civilian volunteers, planned to take advantage of clearing weather after several days of snow, ice and winds hampered earlier efforts, Capt. Christopher Bernard of the Air Force Reserve's 304th Rescue Squadron, based in Portland, told reporters today.
The 304th Rescue Squadron was the first aircrew on the scene, Dec. 11, after three climbers went missing after they set out Dec. 7 for what was to be a two-day climbing trip, Air Force Staff Sgt. Nick Przybyciel, of the 446th Airlift Wing at McChord Air Force Base, Wash., told American Forces Press Service.
Nine pararescue team members and three combat rescue officers conducted ground surveillance through Dec. 14 before pausing operations during inclement weather as they geared up to launch the air mission, Przybyciel said.
The squadron left one crewmember on the mountain to serve as a spotter for a Nevada Air National Guard C-130 Hercules aircraft. The aircraft is part of the only Air Force wing equipped with "scathe view" technology that provides real-time imagery of ground activity via electro-optical and infrared sensors mounted on military aircraft, Przybyciel explained.
Meanwhile, three Oregon Army National Guard helicopter crews joined the search Dec. 15. Twelve flight crews and medics aboard two UH-60 Black Hawks from the 1042nd Medical Company (Air Ambulance), based in Salem, and a CH-47D Chinook from Detachment 1, D Company, 113th Aviation Battalion, based in Pendleton, are involved in the search.
This morning, a Nevada Air National Guard C-130 Hercules aircraft from Reno headed to the summit to retrieve a body found in a snow cave yesterday on Mount Hood's north face. Although officials declined to name the climber during today's news conference, family members said it was 48-year-old Kelly James.
Joe Wimpler, Mount Hood County sheriff, compared locating the snow cave to finding "a needle in a haystack" and praised the "excellent spot on the part of the air crews."
The search for James' companions, Brian Hall and Jerry Cooke, has narrowed to "The Gullies," an avalanche-prone area with a sheer 2,500-foot drop. It's still too dangerous to put ground crews in the area, Wimpler said, but search-and-rescue efforts are continuing from the air.
Bernard noted that the aircrews involved in the operation are combat veterans who have served in the mountains of Afghanistan. "There's a wide set of skills coming together to support this mission," he said.
Despite the lack of good news, officials expressed optimism that the missing two climbers may still be alive. "There definitely is hope," Bernard said.
Army Col. Dave Greenwood, Oregon's state aviation officer who has been flying Black Hawk missions during the search, said the military is uniquely qualified to carry out the mission. "When we see something like this, we realize that we're the only ones with our type of capabilities, so we are always ready to roll," he said.
The Oregon Guard typically conducts about 20 search-and-rescue missions a year, but few of this magnitude, he said.
Greenwood noted that since returning from Afghanistan in March, the Oregon Guard helicopter crews spent 43 days this summer fighting wildfires. "It just never stops," he said. "It's a lot of missions for these guys."
Article sponsored by criminal justice leadership; and, police and military personnel who have become writers.
Dec. 18, 2006 – After finding the body of one missing climber on Mount Hood, Ore., members of the Oregon Army National Guard, Nevada Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve are continuing the search today for two other lost climbers. Rescue crews, joined by civilian volunteers, planned to take advantage of clearing weather after several days of snow, ice and winds hampered earlier efforts, Capt. Christopher Bernard of the Air Force Reserve's 304th Rescue Squadron, based in Portland, told reporters today.
The 304th Rescue Squadron was the first aircrew on the scene, Dec. 11, after three climbers went missing after they set out Dec. 7 for what was to be a two-day climbing trip, Air Force Staff Sgt. Nick Przybyciel, of the 446th Airlift Wing at McChord Air Force Base, Wash., told American Forces Press Service.
Nine pararescue team members and three combat rescue officers conducted ground surveillance through Dec. 14 before pausing operations during inclement weather as they geared up to launch the air mission, Przybyciel said.
The squadron left one crewmember on the mountain to serve as a spotter for a Nevada Air National Guard C-130 Hercules aircraft. The aircraft is part of the only Air Force wing equipped with "scathe view" technology that provides real-time imagery of ground activity via electro-optical and infrared sensors mounted on military aircraft, Przybyciel explained.
Meanwhile, three Oregon Army National Guard helicopter crews joined the search Dec. 15. Twelve flight crews and medics aboard two UH-60 Black Hawks from the 1042nd Medical Company (Air Ambulance), based in Salem, and a CH-47D Chinook from Detachment 1, D Company, 113th Aviation Battalion, based in Pendleton, are involved in the search.
This morning, a Nevada Air National Guard C-130 Hercules aircraft from Reno headed to the summit to retrieve a body found in a snow cave yesterday on Mount Hood's north face. Although officials declined to name the climber during today's news conference, family members said it was 48-year-old Kelly James.
Joe Wimpler, Mount Hood County sheriff, compared locating the snow cave to finding "a needle in a haystack" and praised the "excellent spot on the part of the air crews."
The search for James' companions, Brian Hall and Jerry Cooke, has narrowed to "The Gullies," an avalanche-prone area with a sheer 2,500-foot drop. It's still too dangerous to put ground crews in the area, Wimpler said, but search-and-rescue efforts are continuing from the air.
Bernard noted that the aircrews involved in the operation are combat veterans who have served in the mountains of Afghanistan. "There's a wide set of skills coming together to support this mission," he said.
Despite the lack of good news, officials expressed optimism that the missing two climbers may still be alive. "There definitely is hope," Bernard said.
Army Col. Dave Greenwood, Oregon's state aviation officer who has been flying Black Hawk missions during the search, said the military is uniquely qualified to carry out the mission. "When we see something like this, we realize that we're the only ones with our type of capabilities, so we are always ready to roll," he said.
The Oregon Guard typically conducts about 20 search-and-rescue missions a year, but few of this magnitude, he said.
Greenwood noted that since returning from Afghanistan in March, the Oregon Guard helicopter crews spent 43 days this summer fighting wildfires. "It just never stops," he said. "It's a lot of missions for these guys."
Article sponsored by criminal justice leadership; and, police and military personnel who have become writers.
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