Thursday, January 22, 2015

Syria: Be A Student of Teaching




Reports indicate that the US is sending 1,000 trainers as well as security and logistical support to aid the Syrian rebels against Daesh. (see for instance: http://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/pentagon/2015/01/16/syrian-trainers-deploying/21873945/, which is also the photo source.) The Pentagon press release can be found at: http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=123989

According to Admiral Kirby (pictured) the purpose of the training is: “to get them ready to defend their own citizens and communities, to eventually go on the defensive against ISIL inside Syria, and to help them work with political opposition leaders toward a political solution in Syria.”

There were also additional trainers sent to Iraq for training missions as well.

I feel that this would be a perfect opportunity for MISO personnel to function as trainers for basic military skills, not MISO. MISO NCOs in particular are held to a higher standard of performance of these skills than the rank and file and are generally able to relay these skills to others.

By teaching and working with these students I believe that MISO personnel will gain a deeper understanding of how these students think and are motivated. This knowledge would serve them well in future assignments in the Middle East and probably in other areas of the world where student learning style is quite different from the typical “Western” learner.

Reader comments invited.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I would have to agree that it may be past time to allow the MISO forces to stretch its muscle a little and go back to doing the basics really well. I think at that level some of us junior Psyoper’s can get some grassroots direct influence time and cultural emersion, on the other edge of this sword that would be training the Syrian moderate rebels. Tactical Psyoper’s can defiantly take on a role of being advisors because we are expected to shoot, move, and communicate while performing at higher standards. Being excellent communicators just sweetens the pot in this case so much that it should be a no brainer. I think it is fair to expect MISO personal to be able to perform any battle drill to or above the standard and it’s fair to expect us to know how to relay a specific message with a intended result which easily translates to trainers to me. The down side to this is the reputation of the Green Beret being able to conduct any mission from DA, FID, and MISO which drops a dark green overshadows on what MISO is capable of based on reputation.