Posted on 08/04/2009 6:27:14 PM PDT by SandRat
Air Force Lt. Col. Jeffrey Coggin (left) explains the concepts of the Defense Decision Support Course to Iraqi officers with the help of Mathus Remaden, a linguistic and cultural adviser, at Iraqi Ground Forces Command, Baghdad, July 19. Photo by Master Sgt. Michael Daigle, 114th Public Affairs Detachment.
BAGHDAD — A course was held at the Iraqi Ground Forces Command Headquarters here, July 18 – 21, for staff officers to focus on pre-decision making and critical thinking.
"Effective decision making is critical to Iraq's future," said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Jeffrey Coggin, currently deployed as the MNC-I deputy comptroller.
The goal of the training was to help enable staff officers to assist their leaders in making calculated decisions concerning military operations.
The U.S. Air Force Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, supported the leadership workshop by providing the Defense Decision Support Course.
Coggin, a resident instructor from the University, used a modified version of this course to present its principles to a combined Iraqi and American audience of 12 officers.
Mathus Remaden, a linguistic and cultural adviser, provided the human link to communicate the course content and instructor's motivation.
"One thing that Lt. Col. Coggin and I had in common was that we shared the same energy," Ramaden said. "It was easy for me to put myself in his shoes. Energy, that's what allowed our tag team to succeed."
Discussions and practical exercises focused on identifying specifics issues, using tools to sort and analyze available data, develop possible courses of action, and generate educated recommendations for decision makers.
"To make well informed decisions you need to be able to peel back the onion and get to the core of the real problem," Coggin said. "The application of this process is not limited to a formalized military setting; the decision support process can be applied by people of all ages to make rational decisions daily."
The mood and enthusiasm remained upbeat as colleagues from the U.S. and Iraqi military worked together under what would seem to be a mutually identifiable role playing scenario, making decisions for an amateur football team.
Among other exercises, students were charged with working through decision support to construct a new sports field.
First, the group had to identify the difference between football as known by Americans and futbol, the national sport of Iraq, otherwise known as soccer to the U.S. officers.
"Is this football, or is this futbol?" Coggin asked while holding up pigskin in one hand and a round black and white checkered ball in the other as Remaden translated.
The sports metaphor appropriately described the challenge U.S. and Iraqi forces face in identifying cultural differences as they build upon their similarities.
Once the group was able to understand some of their differences, they were able to move past them and connect with mutual similarities.
"What works in one culture may not work in another," Coggin said. "But universally, decision making is supported by selecting between choice alternatives and not reacting due to immediate emotions."
Coggin referred to these emotional or instinctive reactions as three second decisions.
The theory behind decision support was nothing new to most of the Iraqi and U.S. officers in attendance, but it helped bring them closer together.
Open discussions regarding decision brainstorming and analysis allowed members of the group to share their own ideas and highlighted the importance of incorporating different perspectives and ideas to view a given situation.
The courses showed how staff officers can help provide important advice to senior leaders making significant decisions on how to improve the conditions in Iraq and helped restore hope for the Iraqi officers.
"I think this type of training is great," Remaden said. "The hardest part is to create hope all over again. A lot of folks [have] hard lives, daily routines, hope was almost gone; this helped re-energize the Iraqi officers."
"We're excited," one Iraqi Army officer said. "We hope to conduct similar training in the future."
Coggin concluded by paraphrasing a significant American leader, Martin Luther King Jr., who relied on the power of hope and the perspectives of others to develop his vision.
"You don't have to see all the way to the end. You just need to take one step at a time and keep going."
Thanks sandrat.....
I still hold out the firm belief that the free Iraqis will fight to hold that freedom...
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