Off the Radar, Special Operations Training Detachment

Latest Episodes:

Mastering Influence: PSYOP’s Role in Information Dominance Part 2 (Ep. 8) Sep 20, 2024

Show notes

This is the second part of a two-part conversation with CPT Eric Plummer discussing Special Operations Forces (SOF) Psychological Operations (PSYOP) Teams conducting training in Large Scale Combat Operations (LSCO) across multi-domains at the National training Center (NTC) and across Combat Training Centers (CTCs).

CPT Eric Plummer shares his experiences and observations on how best to approach a CTC rotation as a SOF PSYOP professional. Through describing his personal experiences in both training and real-world operations; Eric illuminates how SOF PSYOP is organized, how SOF PSYOP functions operationally on its own and with Special Forces and Civil Affairs, and what SOF PSYOP does for the Joint Force.

CPT Eric Plummer is a seasoned Observer Coach / Trainer (OC/T) at the National Training Center. He serves as the lead OC/T for Special Operations Forces Psychological Operations. As the lead SOF PSYOP OC/T Eric has taken part in 8 rotations at the National Training Center and Joint Readiness Training Center coaching and mentoring PSYOP teams and Detachments, and SF AOB leadership and staff from across US Army Special Operations Command.

About the Host:

CPT Weston Rich is a member of SOF Plans at the NTC and former member of Burro Team, the Special Operations Training Detachment OC/T Team at NTC. Prior to his time at NTC, Weston served as a Detachment Commander with 1st SFG (A) and as an Infantry Officer with 3-509th IN (ABN)/4/25 ID (now part of 2/11 ABN DIV). Following his time at NTC, Weston will attend Carnegie Mellon University with a follow-on assignment to Army Futures Command.

This episode covers:

- Value proposition of PSYOP at CTCs especially NTC

- PSYOP integration with SF Company staff / non-kinetic targeting

- Authorities and permissions competition vs conflict

- SOF PSYOP integration with Conventional PSYOP (USACAPOC)

- Staff approval process and HICOM injects (or lack thereof)

- Measures of performance and effectiveness; and how to gauge those

- PSYOP’s role in LSCO

Please like, subscribe, and share these episodes with ARSOF any conventional Soldiers and Leaders to spread the knowledge of ARSOF in LSCO.

To provide feedback please email the host, CPT Rich, at weston.rich@socom.mil.

Production, editing, and sound engineering by Micah Popp of Salty Sounds

Civil Affairs Foundations: Shaping ARSOF in Large Scale Combat at NTC Part 2 (Ep. 7) Sep 12, 2024

Show notes

This is the second part of a three-part conversation with CPT Grant Cook discussing Special Operations Forces (SOF) Civil Affairs (CA) Teams and Civil Military Operations Centers (CMOC) conducting training in Large Scale Combat Operations (LSCO) across multi-domains at the National training Center (NTC) and across Combat Training Centers (CTCs).

CPT Grant Cook shares his experiences and observations on how best to approach a CTC rotation as a SOF CA professional. Through describing his personal experiences in both training and real-world operations; Grant illuminates how SOF CA is organized, how SOF CA functions operationally on its own and with Special Forces and Psychological Operations, and what SOF CA does for the Joint Force.

CPT Grant Cook recently finished his tour at the National Training Center as the lead Observer Coach / Trainer (OC/T) for Special Operations Forces Civil Affairs. As the lead SOF CA OC/T Grant took part in 6 rotations at the National Training Center and Joint Readiness Training Center coaching and mentoring CA teams, CMOCs, and SF AOB leadership and staff from across US Army Special Operations Command.

About the Host:

This episode covers:

- How Observe Coach / Trainer approach coaching and mentoring Civil Affairs Teams

- What a CAT / CMOC experiences during a CTC rotation leading up to the rotation and once they hit the ground

- CA building rapport and demonstrating value to the AOB Leadership and PSYOP team

- Recommendation on prioritization of action for CA upon training scenario starting

- Examples of how civil reconnaissance plays an important role in the whole of ARSOF’s understanding of the operational environment

Please like, subscribe, and share these episodes with ARSOF any conventional Soldiers and Leaders to spread the knowledge of ARSOF in LSCO.

To provide feedback please email the host, CPT Rich, at weston.rich@socom.mil.

Produced, edited, and sound engineering by Micah Popp of Salty Sounds

Mastering Influence: PSYOP’s Role in Information Dominance Part 1 (Ep. 6) Sep 06, 2024

Show notes

This is the first part of a two-part conversation with CPT Eric Plummer discussing Special Operations Forces (SOF) Psychological Operations (PSYOP) Teams conducting training in Large Scale Combat Operations (LSCO) across multi-domains at the National training Center (NTC) and across Combat Training Centers (CTCs).

About the Host:

This episode covers:

- Eric describes his personal experiences in PSYOP and the Army

- How PSYOP achieves dominance in the information dimension both in real-world operations and in training

- PSYOP integration in the ARSOF Tribes

- Regional versus Tactical PSYOP alinement structure

- PSYOP task organization and home-station training

- What the information environment looks like at the National Training Center

- How to prepare for an upcoming rotation at the National Training Center

Please like, subscribe, and share these episodes with ARSOF any conventional Soldiers and Leaders to spread the knowledge of ARSOF in LSCO.

To provide feedback please email the host, CPT Rich, at weston.rich@socom.mil.

Production, editing, and sound engineering by Micah Popp of Salty Sounds

Civil Affairs Foundations: Shaping ARSOF in Large Scale Combat at NTC Part 1 (Ep. 5) Aug 29, 2024

Show notes

This is the first part of a three-part conversation with CPT Grant Cook discussing Special Operations Forces (SOF) Civil Affairs (CA) Teams and Civil Military Operations Centers (CMOC) conducting training in Large Scale Combat Operations (LSCO) across multi-domains at the National training Center (NTC) and across Combat Training Centers (CTCs).

About the Host:

This episode covers:

- How SOF CA is Task Organized and roles: Civil Affairs Teams, Civil Military Operations Centers, Company

- The COMREL formal and informal that SOF CA typically works under operationally

- Overview of the Military Occupation Specialties on a Civil Affairs Team

- CA is preventative medicine, doing your job throughout competition, crisis, and conflict

- Value of CA participating in Combat Training Centers

Please like, subscribe, comment and share these episodes with ARSOF any conventional Soldiers and Leaders to spread the knowledge of ARSOF in LSCO.

To provide feedback please email the host, CPT Rich, at weston.rich@socom.mil.

Production, editing, and sound engineering by Micah Popp of Salty Sounds

Beyond the Battlefield: Special Forces Training Innovations at the National Training Center Pt 2 (Ep. 4) Aug 16, 2024

Show notes

This is part two of a two-part conversation with MAJ Michael Hitzner discussing Special Forces (SF) Companies (AOBs) and Teams (ODAs) conducting training in Large Scale Combat Operations (LSCO) across multi-domains at the National Training Center (NTC). He shares his extensive experience and observations on how best to approach a Combat Training Center (CTC) rotation and what he has learned from his time here at NTC.

MAJ Hitzner recently finished his two-year tour at the National Training Center, spending a year as the Special Operations Training Detachment AOB-West Operations Officer/Exercise Control. Then his final year as the Officer in Charge of AOB-W. During this time, he conducted over 12 rotations, at NTC, JRTC, and JPMRC, observing and coaching SF AOBs and ODAs.

About the Host:

This episode covers:

- How training for LSCO prepares you for competition missions

- Should NTC or a CTC be used a certification / validation event or a pre-mission training (PMT)?

- A recommendation for using a CTC as a certification / validation event.

- When AOBs and Teams should start to prepare for a CTC rotation.

- How to approach multi-domain operations, including suggested enablers to have with you

- How tactical SOF actions effect the operational and strategic levels

Please like, subscribe, comment and share these episodes with ARSOF any conventional Soldiers and Leaders to spread the knowledge of ARSOF in LSCO.

To provide feedback please email the host, CPT Rich, at weston.rich@socom.mil.

Production, editing, and sound engineering by Micah Popp of Salty Sounds

Beyond the Battlefield: Special Forces Training Innovations at the National Training Center Pt 1 (Ep.3) Aug 02, 2024

Show notes

This is the first part of a two part conversation with MAJ Michael Hitzner discussing Special Forces (SF) Companies (AOBs) and Teams (ODAs) conducting training in Large Scale Combat Operations (LSCO) across multi-domains at the National Training Center (NTC). He shares his immense experience and insights on how best to approach a Combat Training Center (CTC) rotation and what he has learned from his time here at NTC.

MAJ Hitzner recently finished his two year tour at the National Training Center, spending a year as the Special Operations Training Detachment AOB-West Operations Officer/Exercise Control, then his final year as the Officer in Charge of AOB-W. During this time he conducted over 12 rotations observing and coaching SF AOBs and ODAs.

About the Host:

This episode covers:

- Difference between home-station training and training at NTC

- The value of SF AOBs and ODAs conducting a rotation at NTC

- The unique and expansive resources that are brought in for a rotation at NTC

- Where and how SF AOBs integrate with conventional forces

- The focus of ARSOF training at NTC on the AOB and the value that SFOD-As receive from NTC

- What it takes to survive and operate in the desert

Please like, subscribe, comment and share these episodes with ARSOF any conventional Soldiers and Leaders to spread the knowledge of ARSOF in LSCO.

To provide feedback please email the host, CPT Rich, at weston.rich@socom.mil.

Production, editing, and sound engineering by Micah Popp of Salty Sounds

Army Special Operations Insights: Training for Large Scale Combat at NTC Pt 2 (Ep. 2) Jul 19, 2024

Show notes

This is the conclusion of the interview with MSG Steven Connor focusing on what Army Special Operations Forces (ARSOF) can gain from training at the National Training Center (NTC).

About the Host:

In this episode we discuss:

- Lessons learned from current real world conflicts

- What winning and loosing at NTC look like

- Working by, with, and through partnered forces both US and host nation

- How training for Large Scale Conflict Operations (LSCO) helps ARSOF prepare for operations during competition / operations other than conflict

- Training staff functions at the Detachment and Company level

- Whether or not MSG Connor would volunteer to bring his future SF Company to NTC for a rotation

Please like, scribe and share these episodes with any and all ARSOF or conventional Soldiers to spread the knowledge of ARSOF in LSCO.

To provide feedback please look up the host, CPT Rich, on global and send an email.

Please like, subscribe, comment and share these episodes with ARSOF any conventional Soldiers and Leaders to spread the knowledge of ARSOF in LSCO.

To provide feedback please email the host, CPT Rich, at weston.rich@socom.mil.

Production, editing, and sound engineering by Micah Popp of Salty Sounds

Army Special Operations Insights: Training for Large Scale Combat at NTC Pt 1 (Ep. 1) Jul 05, 2024

Show notes

In this debut episode of Off the Radar the Special Operations Training Detachment podcast. We discuss the value proposition of Army Special Operations Forces (ARSOF) training Large Scale Conflict Operations (LSCO) in support of Conventional Forces. CPT Weston Rich interviews MSG Steven Connor to discuss how training at the National Training Center (NTC) and other Combat Training Centers (CTCs) prepares ARSOF units for LSCO and for operations across the full spectrum of operations.

About the Host:

Topics covered during this episode: -Is ARSOF prepared for the next conflict? -How does ARSOF train for the next conflict? -Describe what a NTC is/isn’t. -Role of an observer, coach, trainer. -Describe key differences and similarities between LSCO and COIN. -What can ARSOF get at NTC they can’t get elsewhere? There is no other training environment that has this dynamic, challenging, and near real-world as the National Training Center. In the next episode we will take a deeper look at incorporating real world lessons learned from current conflicts, success at NTC, and more.

Please like, subscribe, comment and share these episodes with ARSOF any conventional Soldiers and Leaders to spread the knowledge of ARSOF in LSCO.

To provide feedback please email the host, CPT Rich, at weston.rich@socom.mil.

Production, editing, and sound engineering by Micah Popp of Salty Sounds

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