S.T.T.U. MILITARY ADVISORY
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PRE-DEPLOYMENT TRAINING
Although STTU periodically runs advanced tactical training programs for select law enforcement and government agencies, STTU is primarily a military advisory & training group. STTU training programs and materials remain on the leading edge through active involvement in operations, continued collection of theatre-specific data, and running forward deployed programs in the current areas of operation overseas.
Prior to 2001, STTU was actively involved in training and advisory in the Balkan region, in preparing US Special Forces for winter deployment to Kosovo and Macedonia. STTU also supplied advanced training to Fugitive Apprehension Teams and Organized Crime Taskforces in neighboring eastern European countries.
Immediately following the tragic events of 11 September 2001, STTU became one of the first training groups to assist in the pre-deployment training of US military personnel headed to Central Asia, and the Afghan theatre of operations. This training, including related theatre-specific briefs, was given to assets of the US military C-SAR community, USMC Force Recon teams, MI/CI intelligence officers, and coalition special operations forces.
By the end of 2001, STTU was on the ground in western Pakistan, followed in 2002 and 2003 with work in Afghanistan, Central Asia and the Middle East assisting in various aspects of conventional military advisory, special operations training, and force protection. Early 2003 saw STTU involvement in pre-deployment training for Operation Iraqi Freedom, and by 2004 on the ground in Iraq running security and force protection operations, working in close cooperation with the US military.
STTU continues to operate training programs for coalition and US military personnel preparing to deploy in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom; concurrently collecting the all important “lessons learned” from returning units for inclusion in training.
MILITARY ADVISORY & TRAINING SERVICES
STTU military advisory covers a broad range of operational subjects ranging from theatre-specific pre-deployment briefs to highly effective tactical training programs and mission-related field training exercises.
STTU pre-deployment briefs and training modules are continually revised and updated based on recent in-theatre experience. Each training package is modified to meet the operational and training needs of the host command. Modules include:
- Theatre-specific Briefings on Afghanistan or Iraq
- Tribal Custom & Cultural Sensitivity
- Terrain, Weather & Mobility
- Pre-deployment Equipment & Training Considerations
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- Lessons Learned from Afghanistan and/or Iraq
- Cold Weather Mountain Warfare in Afghanistan
- Terrorist Methodology & the Evolution of Insurgent Tactics
- Force Protection for FOBs, AOBs & Convoys
- Ambush Methodology & Recognition
- Challenges of HUMINT Collection in a Semi-permissive Environment
- Tactical Training for Counter Intelligence Officers
- Village Exploitation / Cordon & Search Operations
- Pre-deployment Advanced Tactical Weapons Training (M9, M11, M4, MP5)
- Urban & Semi-rural Sniper & Surveillance Programs
- Pre-deployment Small Unit Tactical Training – Urban & Semi-rural Operations
- High Risk Close Protection Training for Military PSO/PSD Teams
FTX ASSESSMENT & ADVISORY
In addition to developing mission-specific briefs and training programs, STTU is available to observe and assess the readiness of troops participating in scheduled military training exercises. The objective of the STTU advisor is to supply the combatant commander with constructive advice including ways to enhance the effectiveness of future training or improve the operational readiness of his troops.
As many commanders are aware, one weakness in military training is that while component commands or supporting units become quite proficient at individual skill-sets, they fail to test those same skills in joint, full mission capability exercises. Even a relatively simple task such as the exploitation of a small rural village requires the combined efforts of several different military specialties. This could include recon & surveillance teams, light infantry, heavy weapons platoons, security & route interdiction elements, containment teams, close air support, EOD, intelligence officers, interpreters, medics, civil affairs, communications, and command & control. Without realistic training scenarios supported by constructive debriefs, these elements cannot come together as a cohesive fighting unit in a semi-permissive environment.
Another identified deficiency in pre-deployment training exercises is the fact that military umpires may have little to no in-country experience in the projected areas of operation so have difficulty making relevant observations as to the effectiveness of the tactics being employed. In addition, if umpires are organic to the training staff of the command under evaluation, then there is often hesitancy to give hard-hitting critiques of the performance of their superiors or peers. By involving an impartial advisor with recent theatre-specific experience in the assessment process, a command is assured an unbiased debrief, supported by constructive advice on how to remedy observed deficiencies.
CONCLUSION
With the current military involvement in counter insurgency operations in both Afghanistan and Iraq, the risk to US and coalition troops has never been greater. Fortunately professional training and advisory groups such as STTU are able to arm these dedicated individuals and units with mission-specific training and mission-critical information that will enhance both their effectiveness and survivability when they go in harms way.
