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Ray · 01-26-2007, 05:48 AM

Again the rider to my post is that there would be a difference in perspective in training of cadets in India to those elsewhere.

Therefore, my comments are based on the Indian model.

A cadet, an officer cadet, on commissioning is to lead his platoon. Therefore, before he becomes an officer, he is made conversant with the platoon weapons, given a general idea about company and battalion support weapons.

He is also taught platoon battle drills and platoon battle procedures.

He is made conversant with the Basic tenets of leadership and during the platoon exercises at the Academy which a course undergoes, what he has learnt about leadership gets practiced.

He still is no expert after this training. But he learns the rudiments of these fields.

The Army is basically structured to fight regular battles. Counter Insurgency is a different kettle of fish even though the basics remain valid. It requires specialised training because the environment of each counter insurgency and its causes would be different and hence requires different applications. e.g. the Counter Insurgency in Iraq will not be the mirror image of, let us say, Kashmir or even Balochistan or even Afghanistan. Each counter insurgency is driven by the political atmosphere prevalent. For instance, the counter insurgency in Kashmir is not similar to the now nascent, though could come alive, insurgency in Manipur and the like, even though both are States of the same country!!

Therefore, at best, cadets, if absolutely a must, could be given an overview including the deviation in tactics that would be necessary. The cadet has to know the basics of regular drills before he is introduced to CI and its variances.

In India, the young officers are put through Young Officers course to hone all skills to the extent they can imbibe without confusing themselves, before the come to apply the same when in their units. Even so, they have to understudy before being given independent command.

In the CI grid, they also have to attend the Command CI school.

01-26-2007, 05:48 AM	#23 (permalink)
Ray Postmaster General *Military Professional* Join Date: 08-20-03 Posts: 27,057 Country:	Again the rider to my post is that there would be a difference in perspective in training of cadets in India to those elsewhere. Therefore, my comments are based on the Indian model. A cadet, an officer cadet, on commissioning is to lead his platoon. Therefore, before he becomes an officer, he is made conversant with the platoon weapons, given a general idea about company and battalion support weapons. He is also taught platoon battle drills and platoon battle procedures. He is made conversant with the Basic tenets of leadership and during the platoon exercises at the Academy which a course undergoes, what he has learnt about leadership gets practiced. He still is no expert after this training. But he learns the rudiments of these fields. The Army is basically structured to fight regular battles. Counter Insurgency is a different kettle of fish even though the basics remain valid. It requires specialised training because the environment of each counter insurgency and its causes would be different and hence requires different applications. e.g. the Counter Insurgency in Iraq will not be the mirror image of, let us say, Kashmir or even Balochistan or even Afghanistan. Each counter insurgency is driven by the political atmosphere prevalent. For instance, the counter insurgency in Kashmir is not similar to the now nascent, though could come alive, insurgency in Manipur and the like, even though both are States of the same country!! Therefore, at best, cadets, if absolutely a must, could be given an overview including the deviation in tactics that would be necessary. The cadet has to know the basics of regular drills before he is introduced to CI and its variances. In India, the young officers are put through Young Officers course to hone all skills to the extent they can imbibe without confusing themselves, before the come to apply the same when in their units. Even so, they have to understudy before being given independent command. In the CI grid, they also have to attend the Command CI school. __________________ "Some have learnt many Tricks of sly Evasion, Instead of Truth they use Equivocation, And eke it out with mental Reservation, Which is to good Men an Abomination." I don't have to attend every argument I'm invited to. HAKUNA MATATA Last edited by Ray : 01-26-2007 at 05:51 AM.