POLITICS-AND-POLICY OFFICER by a greater appreciation for other elements of national power that support the overall U . S . strategy . As former Army Chief of Staff Gen . Raymond Odierno said , “ We now have … the opportunity to study and recommend changes to our brigade combat team organization . … It is critical that this vital war fighting formation remains dominant against the evolving hybrid threats in tomorrow ’ s operational environments .” 14 One way to accomplish this is to create a position on the BCT staff charged with the responsibility to analyze and understand the politics and policies of partnered governments and interested stakeholders that affect our partnered HN security forces .
The views expressed herein are those of the author and do not reflect the position of the United States Military Academy , the Department of the Army , or the Department of Defense .
WE RECOMMEND
Notes
1 . Adam Scher , “ Political Advisors : Harnessing the Soft Power of Brigade Commanders ,” Military Review 90 , no . 1 ( January-February 2010 ), accessed 19 September 2016 , http :// usacac . army . mil / CAC2 / MilitaryReview / Archives / English / MilitaryReview _ 20100228 _ art013 . pdf .
2 . 10 U . S . C . §§ 101-18506 ( 2015 ); 22 U . S . C . §§ 1-9308 ( 2015 ). Title 10 of the U . S . Code outlines the role of the armed forces . Title 22 outlines the role of foreign relations and intercourse .
3 . James E . Cartwright , “ Best Military Advice ,” Strategic Studies Quarterly 9 , no . 3 ( September 2015 ): 14 – 15 .
4 . Army Doctrine Reference Publication 5-0 , The Operations Process ( Washington , DC : U . S . Government Publishing Office , May 2012 ), 1-7 , accessed 19 September 2016 , http :// www . apd . army . mil / Search / ePubsSearch / ePubsSearchDownloadPage . aspx ? docID = 0902c851800123fe . 5 . Ibid ., 1-8 . 6 . A modified table of organization and equipment is a document that authorizes the organization and equipment for each Army unit .
7 . Michelle Tan , “ Army BCT Cuts , Reorganization Coming as Service Loses 40K More Soldiers ,” Army Times , 25 December 2015 , accessed 7 January 2016 , http :// www . armytimes . com / story / military / 2015 / 12 / 25 / army-bct-cuts-reorganization-coming-service-loses-40k-more-soldiers / 77167510 /.
8 . Andrew Tilghman , “ DoD Plans to Send More Officers to Civilian Grad Schools ,” Military Times , 20 August 2015 , accessed 19 September 2016 , http :// www . militarytimes . com / story / military / benefits / education / 2015 / 08 / 20 / graduate-school-proposals / 32063579 /.
9 . Curtis Buzzard , commander of 3rd BCT , 82nd Airborne Division , e-mail to author , 22 February 2016 . 10 . Ibid . 11 . Ibid . 12 . Ibid . 13 . Adam Scher , “ The Problem with Iraqi Security Forces Isn ’ t Just an Unwillingness to Fight ,” Task and Purpose website , 1 December 2015 , accessed 19 September 2016 , http ://
A
n early opponent of Operation Iraqi Freedom , British
Middle East scholar Emma Sky nevertheless volunteered to help rebuild Iraq after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein . Subsequently , her educational background , language skills , and gift for diplomacy as well as her blunt honesty ingratiated her with senior military leaders struggling with the issues of occupation . She initially served as the political adviser to Col . William Mayville , commander of the U . S . Army ’ s 173rd Airborne Brigade , Kirkuk , Iraq , and then as political adviser to Gen . Raymond Odierno during his tours in Iraq as deputy commander and later as commander of coalition forces . Sky became among Odierno ’ s closest confidants during the most painful stages of the war . The Unraveling details her observations and critical analysis stemming from more than a decade of experience as a political adviser serving in time of war . It provides invaluable insight into the role and the risks of service as a political adviser at the brigade and major command levels .
taskandpurpose . com / the-problem-with-iraqi-security-forcesisnt-just-an-unwillingness-to-fight /.
14 . Raymond Odierno , “ Association of the United States Army ( AUSA ) Winter Symposium speech ” ( AUSA Winter Symposium , Fort Lauderdale , FL , 24 February 2012 ).
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