The Role of the American Advisor

Advisors will play a key role in the future of a free Iraq. As such, the advisor must keep the mission firmly planted in his or her mind. Many years of advising and assisting the Iraqi National Guard remain ahead. The attitude of the advisor will live long after he or she departs the country. The U. S. Army benefited greatly from foreign advisors who came to America during the Revolution to serve in the Continental Army. However, none contributed quite as significantly as Major General Baron Fredrick von Stuben. In actuality, von Stuben was a captain in the Prussian army, not a major general. Nonetheless, his contributions as General George Washington’s Inspector General of the Army instilled discipline and professionalism into an army that previously lacked formalized training. His drill manual, taken from the Prussian army, was the backbone of the Continental Army throughout the Revolutionary War. As a benefactor of advisors, such as von Stuben, the U. S. Army has since undertaken the role of the advisor on numerous occasions throughout its long and illustrious history. State militias trained during the Civil War were benefactors of Regular Army noncommissioned and commissioned officer training prior to service in combat. In our own backyard, South America stands as a classic example of the U. S. Army’s role in advising and training. The emergence of Special Forces placed the onus of advising and training foreign troops on a specific branch. Vietnam stands as the most comprehensive example of Special Forces and conventional Army ad visory capacity to train an indigenous force. Throughout the remainder of the 21st century, advisors will continue to train and assist armies throughout South America, Southeast Asia, and in the Middle East. This article addresses the importance of advisors in the post 9/11 era. For democracy to come to the Middle East, the United States must remain engaged through military-to-military contact. This contact will come in the form of theater security cooperation programs, namely U. S. Army soldiers. Advising another country’s Army is a difficult task, fraught with potential pitfalls and cultural faux pas. However, if properly trained, prepared, and indoctrinated, the advisor can literally be a force multiplier for the country team, the program manager, the combatant commander, the Department of Defense, and the United States. It is the ambassadorial attitude that is most important to inculcate into would-be advisors. Every action, every word, every attitude, must be subjected to close scrutiny in light of U. S. foreign policy. In the Army’s recent history, the combat training centers have been a repository of available advisors to the Afghan National Army. Members of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, the operations group, the U. S. Army infantry centers, one-station unit training (OSUT) brigades, and many others have been sent to Afghanistan to create an Afghan National Army. Most recently, drill instructors have been sent to Iraq to train the fledgling Iraqi National Guard, as well as soldiers from divisions assigned to Operation Iraqi Freedom. The future appears to predict an increased role for the advisor as divisions conduct stability and reconstruction operations (SRO) and soldiers are assigned to the Iraq or Afghanistan country team. A senior coalition advisor in Iraq notes: “It is unrealistic to assume that progress will be smooth and continuous. There will be many more problems and reversals. There are forces that are corrupt and disloyal. At the same time, there is progress and that progress is gathering momentum.”1 The honest and transparent frustration of this advisor is not unlike advisors who 18 — years ago sought to assist the South Vietnamese army in eradicating the threat of the Viet Cong and establishing a free, democratic society. There are some striking parallels to the situation in Iraq that mirrors the situation on the ground in Vietnam in 1964. General William C. Westmoreland relates in his memoir, A Soldier Reports, “For all the domestic foment, the U. S. Military Assistance Command during the latter months of 1964 made at least a measure of progress in the basic assignment of providing security for the people and helping defeat the Viet Cong. Progress centered in a program that I code-named HOP TAC, which in Vietnamese means cooperation. It was designed to gradually expand security and government control and services — pacification — outward from Saigon and into six provinces that form a kind of horse collar about the city.”2 The goal of the “pacification” program was to defeat a local counterinsurgency, create an independent military and police force, and assist the government of South Vietnam in creating a politically, economically, and socially stable environment for a democracy to flourish. However diluted these objectives may have become or however frequently their emphasis changed, the mission was invariably the same. The same is true of Iraq. Create a free, self-determined government, capable of combating the internal threat of terrorism and participate as a functioning member of the world community. Advisors will play a key role in the future of a free Iraq. As such, the advisor must keep the mission firmly planted in his or her mind. Many years of advising and assisting the Iraqi National Guard remain ahead. The attitude of the advisor will live long after he or she departs the country. I remember my counterparts reciting for me the lineage of advisors they had worked with throughout their careers. Invariably, one here and one there would have a less-than-stellar reputation. As an advisor, it is important to build and keep a good reputation. Imagine five or ten years from now, U. S. forces have left Afghanistan and Iraq, but a large advisory presence remains. Your assignments officer calls and informs you that you are going to Afghanistan to be an advisor for a year, unaccompanied. You immediately think back to your time in Afghanistan as a company commander and remember the frustrations of dealing with tribal rivalries and cross-border incursions by Taliban. How are you going to survive the year and learn as much as possible? You may have to overcome your attitude or prejudices first. To be a successful advisor, follow the twenty principles of advising: The relationship with counterparts is sacred. The first rule is: never lose trust and confidence in counterparts. Above all, never relinquish your integrity. These two things, in rare circumstances, may come into conflict. If that were to happen, your conscience will most assuredly be your guide. Never promise anything you cannot deliver. Clarify, in detail, your responsibilities and those of your unit, if you are providing training on bringing in a mobile training team. For example, if the classroom does not have desks and chairs and you only agreed to teach the block of instruction, ensure the commander knows it is his responsibility to supply tables and chairs. Cultural awareness and sensitivity. As an advisor, assimilating and synthesizing the relevance of a particular culture quickly and correctly is vitally important. Invest in books on the subject of Islam and use internet sources and research the culture and customs of your host. One source that provides an excellent overview of Islam is Karen Armstrong’s book, Islam, A Short History. Fortunately, the Office of the Program Manager (OPM) has a valuable link, which addresses the position of the new advisor and what to anticipate. Additionally, OPM requires all new advisors to attend anew advisor’s orientation course that provides some invaluable information and sources, but the preponderance is a learning environment. There are also U. S. Army resources on the role of an advisor that could help future advisors, such as Ronald H. Spector, Advice and Support: the Early Years, 1941-1960, published by the Combat Studies Institute, Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. The important thing to remember is go into your experience without prejudice and with a willingness to understand the culture. Every culture appreciates a guest who tries to observe their customs and courtesies. Dealing with state department representatives. Upon my arrival in Saudi Arabia, I discovered that there was little to no existing relationship with the Consulate. Nonetheless, we were dependent on the Consulate for warden information, “Tea” rations, entertainment, mail, and other American citizen services.3 Mutual support is vital in remote foreign assignments. Building relationships with the Consular section, local representatives, and political and economic officers all provide further insight into the country and the scope of the mission. Local nationals. Local nationals are an invaluable asset with whom you must develop a rapport and perhaps a personal “In the Army’s recent history, the combat training centers have been a repository of available advisors to the Afghan National Army. Members of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, the operations group, the U. S. Army infantry centers, one-station unit training (OSUT) brigades, and many others have been sent to Afghanistan to create an Afghan National Army.” — 19 bond. If you are required to travel extensively, as was my case, the hotel manager was an invaluable ally. His relationship with the local governor’s office more than once allowed me to avoid a terrorist incident. His relationship with the community provided an opportunity to experience local cultural events. It is also essential to develop a rapport with the soldiers or officers you advise. They are your customers, and although you may be tempted to keep a professional distance, don’t! In a preponderance of the world, relationships are the key to successful business. Religion/history. Muslims are proud of their religion and history — respect this! In the Arab world, most Muslims will attempt to convert you to Islam, because their faith demands it. Entertain the religious differences between your faith and theirs, always remaining respectful. If you are uncomfortable talking about your religious beliefs, you should not be afraid to make that known. However, expect to be bombarded with leaflets, copies of the Koran, and perhaps even taken to a Mosque to speak with a Shi’ite Imam or Mullah or Sunni cleric. Take time to learn about heritages and the culture significance of certain regions and clans. Mission focus. Just as it is important to understand the commander’s intent two levels higher, it is imperative that the advisor understand the program manager’s intent and guidance. U. S. advisors are viewed as having lots of money to throw at their counterparts’ “worthy” projects; therefore, you may be expected to provide everything, which may have happened with past advisors. However, at some point, it will become incumbent on the local national government to develop a defense budget, allocate resources, and hold local commanders fiscally accountable for expenditures. You may be faced with budgeting priorities directed from the local government. For example, the Central Region Brigades in and around Riyadh received new light armored vehicles, were supplied one advisor per battalion, and allocated intensive training and resources. Meanwhile, the light brigades in the east and west received next to nothing. Capably advising and assisting the light brigade, despite the lack of resources, was a challenge. Nevertheless, it was imperative to help my counterpart understand that he was not the main effort, which was very challenging. Regardless of the realities, as his advisor, it was incumbent on me to encourage him to find imaginative ways to train. Remember, work with your counterpart honestly and frankly; but, be cognizant, you cannot expect to run into his office and tell him how dysfunctional his organization may be — let it be self-discovery, never force fed. Influencing is the key. Influencing your counterpart can be extremely difficult — he will have several reasons why something could not be done or why he failed to make a decision that was in the best interest of his unit. The unknowns are the power plays, the power brokers, the real decisionmakers on tribal issues and much more. In his book, The Arab Mind, Raphael Patai states, “In the men’s [Arab men] world, age differences are of the utmost importance. He learns who his other superiors are, in addition to his father: all older men than he, including even a brother or a cousin who is his senior by only a year or so.”4 Doctor Patai’s analysis synthesizes Arab male culture so we can understand how basic power is derived and understand the leadership framework of the Middle East. For example, I served as an advisor to one senior Saudi officer who was incapable of making a decision. Later, I realized he was not empowered to make any key decisions. In our understanding, rank relates to decisionmaking, but not in the Arab world. It took me months to figure out why he would not make what seemed to be a simple, yet vital, decision. Finally, I went to his boss and got a decision. Influencing in this case required figuring out who was the real power broker and dealing with him, not my counterpart. Influencing revolves as much around who to influence as it does influencing. In foreign armies, rank can be meaningless. It can be a symbol of longevity, it can be a reward for faithful service, it can mean a lot of things, but never assume that it means someone has power to make decisions. Invariably, you will spend the first six months of your tour figuring out who are the real power brokers and the last six trying to influence things that you identified within the first 30 days of your arrival. Do not get frustrated — in some cultures, such as the Middle East, anger is a sign of weakness and will close down a negotiation or discussion quickly. All true power brokers, and your counterpart considers you a power broker, remain calm and are well spoken. Influencing is an art. Developing leaders. You will have ample opportunity to interact with junior leaders, some of them may be officers and others sergeants. Take every opportunity to build a rapport and solicit information from the junior officers. You will find they share your frustrations and this can be an opportunity to impart invaluable wisdom. Think of advising as a mutual fund; it simply needs maturing to grow. Sometimes advisors get frustrated because they do not see themselves getting enough accomplished. The process may take years, patience, and repetitive training to see the fruits of your labor. “Mutual support is vital in remote foreign assignments. Building relationships with the Consular section, local representatives, and political and economic officers all provide further insight into the country and the scope of the mission.” 20 —

Showcase freedom and democracy. Many of the nations in which U. S. Army advisors serve are fledging democracies or places we want to stimulate democracy. Take every opportunity to emphasize our democratic values. It may seem obvious, but arrogantly telling another foreign national about the virtues of democracy will not endear him to the idea. Seek out individuals who are interested in the democratic process and discuss it with them. One local national was such a man and we had numerous discussions on the subject. He once shared with me how his friends in the capital city had defined democracy. To them, drunkenness and philandering was their vision of democracy in a repressed country. My friend firmly reminded them that an American democracy is not doing what you please, but respecting the law and rights of others. Furthermore, he admonished, “Until Saudis learn to respect one another, democracy will never come to their country.” I found his recounting refreshing, and I had coincidentally made my point. Take every opportunity to discuss our way of life. You never know what benefit it will have. Avoid being the “big-nosed” American. Some advisors find it very difficult to be humble. As a guest in another country, displaying arrogance is a sure way to fail your mission. There are those who arrive in country ready to train their hosts; however, they will quickly lose interest and be frustrated, irritable, and disinterested in their mission when their methods are not well received. Frustration is to be expected; nevertheless, you must find away to present an affable and pleasant attitude. Otherwise, your tour will be miserable as will everyone around you. Being demanding and discourteous in not ambassadorial, it is simply rude. Negotiation skills. Experience in Iraq and Afghanistan has taught us a lot about the importance of negotiation. Arabs respect negotiation, haggling is expected, but demanding a fair bargain is also expected. Reading books on business negotiating before you arrive in country will help you understand the concept. More importantly, review the Center for Army Lessons Learned (CALL) website for lessons learned from Iraq on negotiations or go to the Combined Arms Center website for resources. Do not answer your port of call without some sort of reference in your kit bag, because negotiating is inseparable from advising. Avoid instructing; focus on advising. There will be times when you will be required to instruct or demonstrate a particular skill or expertise in a given task. Do not do your counterpart’s job for him. I was amazed to observe the creative mental energy some of my counterparts placed into trying to coop the advisor into doing their work. Encourage your counterparts to read doctrinal manuals or seek information from available research sources. There will be times when your counterpart may avoid failure and embarrassment by simply not complying with his training schedule, as opposed to trying and failing. In these circumstances, the advisor is required to demonstrate exceptional wisdom to identify and address his counterpart’s intransigence. If this is the case, remember the rule: make it his idea. Always give your counterpart credit when it is deserved. Tell his boss how great he is while he is present, which will garner you a lot of wasta (power/influence). You will have to figure these things out by doing. Nevertheless, it is all about influencing your counterpart to become self-sufficient. We should be working ourselves out of a job, if we are effective. Know the enemy. Nearly every country in the world has an anti-American element. Those individuals will demonstrate hostility toward you by their expressions or perhaps actions. Be prepared for both. Those individuals who would oppose you are not worth your time or energy. Avoid them and move to the next willing advisee. Secondly, you will have enemies in your area of operations who want to damage the American image for their own benefit. Do not fall victim to their designs. Know who your enemies are and their mode of operation. Never allow yourself to be caught in a vulnerable situation without an escape plan. Avoid dead ends, neighborhoods located off main roads, and identify the “rough” part of town. Know the patterns of your enemies and work opposite; avoid setting patterns. Instill the warrior ethos. Many armies do not have a warrior spirit; mainly because they lack history. Second, they do not grow up in physical environments playing contact sports. Third, some find manual labor culturally reprehensible. You will have to instill this spirit. The U. S. Army physical fitness program is a great place to start: let them see you exercising, influence your counterpart to establish a graduated physical fitness program, and help him visualize his command goals. Instilling the warrior ethos by tying them to combat tasks is another effective method. My counterparts did not understand this component of soldiering. When I asked them how they expected to repel an attempted takeover of the government, they replied, “You Americans will come and help us.” Certainly, our presence in their country might lead them to believe their stability is in our national interest, so I reminded them that it was in their best interest to prepare mentally and physically for that challenge. “There will be times when you will be required to instruct or demonstrate a particular skill or expertise in a given task. Do not do your counterpart’s job for him. I was amazed to observe the creative mental energy some of my counterparts placed into trying to coop the advisor into doing their work. Encourage your counterparts to read doctrinal manuals or seek information from available research sources.” — 21

Identify detractors and develop a plan of action. There will be times when your counterpart will send you chasing ghosts; those ghosts may detract from the significant issues. For instance, your counterpart may know that his riflemen have never qualified to standard, but he will make excuses why his soldiers are unable to qualify correctly. Back up, regroup, and take another tack. If he thwarts you three times, consider it a dead issue and move on. If it is important enough to the mission, look for delicate ways to work around him without destroying your relationship. Force protection. Since your mission will no doubt be in an emerging nation, protecting yourself, your fellow advisors, and support staff will always be a consideration. Take physical security and force protection seriously. Ensure you have a clear understanding of the operating environment from your security manager and/or the regional security officer at the Consulate or Embassy. Maintain a strong relationship with the local police, your unit S2/G2, and the expatriate community. Common practices, such as bomb sweeps, checking your rear view mirror frequently, driving in the far right or left lane, maintaining proper spacing for a quick exit when stopping at traffic lights, and never taking the same way to work or home, should become routine habits. If you are authorized to carry a weapon, become familiar with the weapon and review the rules of engagement regularly. Ensure you have a workspace and home barricade or “bug out” plan. Never take anything for granted and remain vigilant. Expatriate relationships. Americans and other English-speaking foreign nationals may be your sole source of socialization. Small expatriate communities can be very cliquish. Nevertheless, it is important to maximize your social opportunities, so do not be afraid to venture outside your comfort zone. If you are nonsocial, you will probably not enjoy being an advisor. The more social you are, the more you will flourish. Never get involved in the expatriate community gossip or personal squabbles. You are expected to remain professional; you will be held accountable. There are advisors who destroy the reputation of a country team with alcoholism, indiscretions, and other means. Enjoy yourself. Many advisors are required to travel to and from their compounds daily and rarely venture out to see the country. For example, if you advise the Iraqi army, make sure you go to Babylon and Ur. If you advise the Saudi army, trek up the Hejaz Railway and visit Petra. If a particular sport is available, take advantage of it. Most of the expatriate communities have hash runs, orienteering clubs, desert trekking clubs, cycling clubs, rugby leagues, and much more. Other foreign military advisors and contractors. The U. S. military advisory team will probably not be the only team in the country. If you happen to share the same turf with another advisory team, work together. Failing to work together develops a negative adversarial attitude. Perhaps our government and the other advisory team’s government are competing for foreign military sales contracts; nevertheless, it is vital to work together because in most cases, they are our allies. Cooperating with advisory teams from other nations has several advantages: you will learn a tremendous amount by sharing ideas and experiences; you are both aliens in a foreign country and need each other for survival; and it is good to perpetuate the spirit of cooperation among our allies. Many of them perceive Americans as arrogant and pushy. Getting to know them can dispel that notion. Contractors can be a difficult group to address: in one situation, you might find a conscientious and hardworking contractor; in others, you might find lazy, shiftless, and basically, noncontributing individuals. You must be prepared to deal with both; however, if they do the mission a disservice, get rid of them. Interpreter/translators. If you are serving as an advisor, you will not just need a translator; you will need someone to interpret and translate documents and letters. All written documentation that you provide your counterpart will have to be translated. For instance, all the advice you provide your counterpart should be written, which will be better received and suffice as formal documented advice. This will also provide your future replacement a paper trail for reference. Your interpreter/translator will have to get to know you and your phraseology, and you will have to develop confidence in his skill as an interpreter. If you have a senior translator, make sure he does quality control on every document your interpreter/translator prepares. You may also request the senior translator to occasionally observe your translator to determine the quality of his work. If interpreter/ translator schools are available, recommend your translator attend as often as possible. There are training courses in the United States and England for translators who are more advanced; sending them is a benefit to the organization and your mission. Advising is a tremendous experience. Invest the time to understand diverse cultures and the advisory mission, and learn how to influence foreign militaries and assist their nation’s ability to determine its own destiny. In light of the current National Military Strategy, it is logical to assume that advisory demands will increase as our troop strength decreases in Iraq and Afghanistan. The advisor represents our great nation as a diplomat and a soldier to train a foreign military and demonstrate the virtues of the American way of life. Notes 1Anthony H. Cordesman, The Critical Role of Iraqi Military, Security and Police Forces, Center for International and Strategic Studies, Washington, D. C., 2004, p. 3. 2General William C. Westmoreland, A Soldier Reports, De Capo Press, New York, 1976, p. 82. 3The United States Consulates and Embassies throughout the world maintain contact with American citizens through appointed information conduits called “wardens.” These individuals attend a regularly scheduled meeting at the Consulate or Embassy to acquire relevant information for dissemination. “Tea rations” are alcohol rations purchased from the Consulate for authorized diplomatic passport holders in remote locations. 4Raphael Patai, The Arab Mind, Charles Schribner & Sons, New York, 1973, p. 35. Major O. Kent Strader is currently a student at the School of Advanced Military Studies, U. S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, KS. He received a B. S. from Liberty University. His military education includes U. S. Army Command and General Staff College, Combined Arms and Services Staff School, Armor Officer Advanced Course, Infantry Officer Basic Course, Cavalry Leaders Course, Ranger School, Airborne School, Jumpmaster Course, Bradley Leaders Course, Long Range Surveillance Leaders Course, and Joint Firepower Control Course. He has served in various command and staff positions, to include advisor, G2/G3, Western Region Headquarters, Kalipah Omar bin Khattab Brigade, Tarif, Saudi Arabia; advisor, Western Sector Training Center and Range, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; scout platoon observer controller and company primary and battalion task force live fire observer controller, National Training Center, Fort Irwin, CA; company commander, 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment (OPFOR), Hohenfels, Germany; and company commander, 1st Battalion, 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment (Airborne), U. S. Army Airborne School, Fort Benning, GA. 22 —