Getting in Touch with my Feminine Side, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bird

Most tourists who came through that part of Costa Rica looked pretty foolish with their boonie hats, safari jackets, outrageously expensive cameras, and gigantic binoculars. We rarely interacted with them and, with very few exceptions, they avoided us and the places where we hung out. The tourist traps where they chose to wine and dine were … Continue reading Getting in Touch with my Feminine Side, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bird

Winning the Peace (Ch. 4) Redux

Winning the Peace (WTP and/or WP – Willy Pete?), and the FAOs in the program are organized within each partner nation similarly to an infantry platoon reinforced. Platoon commander (O-5), platoon sergeant (E-8), corpsman, radio telephone operator (RTOs), squad leaders (O-4), fire team leaders (O-3), and grunts (enlisted advisors). The total number of individuals deployed … Continue reading Winning the Peace (Ch. 4) Redux

Winning the Peace (Ch. 3) Redux

Past being prologue, it is not likely that either the Department of State or CIA is going to beat back the onslaught of Salafism. The intent here is to provide leadership with a notion of the type of Foreign Area Officer (FAO) required to develop and implement strategy. The current “strategy,” whatever it may be, … Continue reading Winning the Peace (Ch. 3) Redux

Rethinking the DOD’s Foreign Area Officer Program – Redux

As I may have said once or twice before, since the end of World War II, our nation’s military has won almost all the battles while not really winning any wars. This suggests that it is high time to consider new strategies, even different tactics, techniques, and procedures. We are a nation at war whether … Continue reading Rethinking the DOD’s Foreign Area Officer Program – Redux

Winning the Peace (Ch. 3)

Past being prologue, it is not likely that either the Department of State or CIA is going to beat back the onslaught of Salafism. The intent here is to provide leadership with a notion of the type of Foreign Area Officer (FAO) required to develop and implement strategy. The current “strategy,” whatever it may be, … Continue reading Winning the Peace (Ch. 3)