Episode Notes:

Gary sits down with retired Marine intelligence officer and foreign area officer Ben Connable to explore how his military service influenced his research on ground combat. They discuss advising commanders in Iraq versus attaché duties in Jordan, revisit Connable’s critique of the Human Terrain System, and examine how the Marine Corps can maintain cultural knowledge and adapt its intelligence practices. Ben traces questions from these roles to his work at RAND and the Battle Research Group, including how to assess a unit’s will to fight and learn from battlefield experiences. He also shares advice on reading, professional growth, and reflects on September 11 while studying Arabic at the Defense Language Institute.

Additional Resources: https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Portals/7/military-review/Archives/English/MilitaryReview_20090430_art010.pdf

Image: DeAndre Pierce via DVIDS