Military Review English Edition November-December 2014 | Page 75

MILITARY ADVISING AFTER 9/11

would remain fully intact and well-resourced long into
the future, serving as a hub to preserve its advisory capabilities and perhaps expand its relevance by focusing
on developing skills pertinent to more regions of the
world, while also providing a robust general advising
portion of the training program.40 This center would
serve the U.S. military by not only continuing the
legacy of advisor training but could also augment Army
efforts to resource and preserve new culture education
and training initiatives. These could include support
for already established and relevant culture centers
across the military’s branches. Such an initiative would
expand cultural focus in professional military education, promote more realistic training with regard to
negotiating foreign cultures during field exercises, and
serve other useful related developments.41 Due to the
complex nature of the evolving global security environment, the Army should adopt this second alternative to
create a robust long-term focus on the advising mission.

Military advising and the next war. Given that
accurate predictions about future wars elude even
the foremost experts, broad preparation provides an
excellent strategy for U.S. forces to prepare for future
conflicts. Numerous worldwide events could precipitate the next conflict, including civil wars and falling
regimes in the Middle East (with major implications
regarding oil reserves); expanding terrorist networks
in Southwest or Southeast Asia; violence and instability connected to cataclysmic water and food scarcity
in Africa; the destabilizing effects of the widespread
drug industry in Mexico and Central and South
America; or, even a catastrophic event in the United
States requiring humanitarian relief comingled with
security operations.
When America enters the next war, its military
will require not only sophisticated and versatile
service members, but also a robust team of effective
military advisors. Cultivating the development of an

Sgt. Alton Farr, serving as a rule of law adviser with Imam Sahib District Advisory Team, 2nd Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 170th
Infantry Brigade Combat Team, directs an Afghan policeman during a training session 18 December 2011.
(Photo by U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Christopher Klutts, 170th Infantry Brigade Combat Team PAO)

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