Brendan Huff’s Post

integrated deterrence is a main effort

"To be clear, DoD's main effort - integrated deterrence, is SOCOM's main effort." USSOCOM Commander Gen. Bryan Fenton in his 2024 opening remarks to the #HASC Intelligence and Special Operations subcommittee. "Since 1942, your SOF have accumulated six decades of strategic competition experience. Now combined with over two decades of hard-earned combat experience in the Global War on Terror. These eight decades make your special operations tailor-made for this era." #People #Win #Transform

Too many conventional military and civilian leaders and legislators do not understand the impact of strategic "soft" power and operational "hard" power on today's generation of SOF operators and enablers. If we spend less, deploy less, and make more strategic descaling of tensions globally, then SOF power is critical to achieving this end state. This cannot be achieved through force, budget, and technology reductions proposed by civilian and military leaders at the Pent-a-ZOO. Gen. Fenton continues to carry the weight of the Special Operations Community while leaving a persistent message of capability and relevant posture to tackle geopolitical competition worldwide, deter violent extremism, and enable our foreign partners. #SOCOM #JSOC #bywithandthrough #USASOC #AFSOC #MARSOC #NSW

Just in case anyone missed it, the USSOCOM Commander Is sending a clear message. There is no ambiguity here. We are in a different conflict, a more challenging one. Any SOF folks who continue to chase the GWOT days are living in the past. As somebody who lived the GWOT experience, terrorism is just a symptom of State Actor support and intervention. Today, it’s wielded as a tool to destabilize an area, just before a nation state “offers protection”. Chasing the terrorists is equivalent to chasing every thug knocking over a liquor store in the neighborhood, while ignoring the leaders who sent them in the first place. The mob, gangs, and unscrupulous business entities use the same tactics….and they are taking over OUR neighborhood. Integrated deterrence is a strategy to protect the American way of life and more importantly the international rule of law. We can unite joint, interagency, intergovernmental, multinational and commercial partners to secure tomorrow. It will be difficult, it will require suspending your ego, and it will require letting others take control. If we do it right, our grandchildren have a future but failure means surrendering our country to an authoritarian international order. Don’t be fooled, China is the adversary. Russia, North Korea, Iran, Cuba and others are just puppets. They are tired of being marginalized and they are desperate to gain power. They will continue to use corruption, coercion and chicanery to gain ground. Lucky for us, we have the U.S. Special Operations Command, filled with amazing men and women who can meet our adversaries where they are. With SOF’s incredible lethal capabilities validated, it’s time to demonstrate your non-lethal skills. Teamwork and commitment to our nation are the core of your service and the nation needs to see it. Lastly, “Enablers” cannot sit on the sidelines, until you figure out how to use them. You have to let these experts you hired take control of their area of expertise. Unleash the full potential of your formation, to gain your true value proposition. The future depends on it!

A good recognition of the cost/readiness benefit of the Air Guard and AF Reserve.

The Decision Making Model: The OODA loop -- Observe, Orient, Decide and Act -- is a four-step approach to decision-making that focuses on filtering available information, putting it in context and quickly making the most appropriate decision, while also understanding that changes can be made as more data becomes available. The OODA loop developed by military strategist and United States Air Force Colonel John Boyd. He applied the concept to the combat operations process, often at the operational level during military campaigns. It is often applied to understand commercial operations, Businesses and learning processes.

The Pentagon is pressing ahead with new tech and new tactics in 2024, many inspired by the conflicts in Ukraine, the Red Sea, and elsewhere. It's also working hard to boost production of existing weapons and figure out just how it would wage a major conflict in the Pacific. But progress has been hindered by the budgetary chaos in Congress, where debate is just beginning on next year's spending plan. Defense One is proud to present State of Defense 2024, a service-by-service look at how the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force are modernizing and positioning for the year ahead.

In her testimony before the House Armed Services Committee, General Laura Richardson, Commander of the United States Southern Command (#SOUTHCOM), highlighted significant concerns regarding the increasing efforts of the People's Republic of China (#PRC) in #LatinAmerica and the Caribbean. These concerns likely revolve around #China's growing economic, political, and military influence in the region, which could potentially challenge traditional U.S. dominance and security interests. Economically, China has become a major player in the region through investments, loans, and infrastructure projects under its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). These investments often come with political strings attached and could lead to indebtedness and economic dependency among regional nations. Politically, China has been actively engaging with governments in Latin America and the Caribbean, offering diplomatic support and forging strategic partnerships. This could undermine U.S. influence in the region and potentially sway countries towards aligning with China's interests on global issues. Militarily, China's presence in the region raises concerns about potential security implications, including arms sales, military training programs, and infrastructure development that could have dual-use capabilities. #EspacioLejanoBase🇨🇳🛰️📡 #Argentina🇦🇷 This could challenge U.S. military presence and alliances in the region, impacting regional stability and security dynamics. Overall, General Richardson's concerns likely reflect the broader U.S. strategy to counter China's growing influence globally and protect its interests in its own backyard. This may involve diplomatic efforts, economic engagement, and security cooperation with regional partners to address the challenges posed by China's expanding presence in Latin America and the Caribbean.

As does iron sharpen iron, Space sharpens Joint! Space is more than a fixed position of advantage to be leveraged ... it is the fine-pointed edge of our asymmetric lethality. We will outthink, outpace, and overmatch any opponent through our overwhelming options. #OnGuard #SpaceMindedness #NeverADayWithoutSpace

With D-Day 80 and Armed Forces Day both in June, it's topical to consider how even the simplest military decision making and planning process can add considerable value when applied through a business lens.