Lessons from the Past Vital Factors Influencing Military Advisors in Korea, Vietnam and Afghanistan

Abstract

Security assistance and cooperation operations are a pivotal aspect of U.S. foreign and security policy. The United States has a long history of assisting friendly foreign nations with financing, training and equipment as a means of furthering U.S. interests in the region. Inherent within these operations is the role of the military advisor. This thesis represents a historical analysis of advisory operations, specifically systematic case studies of Korea and Vietnam, and provides seven vital factors that have significant influence on an advisors ability to effectively promote increased military capabilities of his indigenous counterpart. These vital factors are then be applied to contemporary advisory operations within Afghanistan as a means of critiquing progress thus far. The concluding chapter makes policy reform recommendations for future operations based on the narrative developed throughout the systematic case studies.