This is part 1 of a 2-part of the collaboration with Pineland Underground podcast where MAJ Maicke and SFC Coach interview MAJ Ficken, CPT Rich, and SFC Wade of Burro Team, the SOF Observer Coach Trainer team at the National Training Center. This interview focused on training combat ready and lethal Special Operations Forces highlighting the value of training at a Combat Training Center through lessons learned and describing trends observed by OC/Ts. Additionally, giving insight in ways to prepare for a rotation, what Large Scale Combat in a Multi-Domain environment might look like, and more. Off the Radar thanks Pineland Underground and USAJFKSWC for supporting SOTD’s push to educate and inspire the force. About the Guest: MAJ Phil Ficken commissioned into the Infantry and found his way to Special Forces. He served in roles from Detachment Commander, AOB Commander, and Staff Officer in 5th SFG (A) with operational experiences in CENTCOM as SOF and conventional. MAJ Ficken served as Burro Team’s J3 for one year and as the OIC for one year overseeing over 12 ARSOF rotations at NTC and JRTC. CPT Weston Rich commissioned into the Infantry later switching to Special Forces. He served as a Detachment Commander in 1st SFG (A) and worked at NTC as both an OC/T and SOF planner. Weston has operational experience in INDOPACOM and CENTCOM with SOF and conventional forces. SFC Keith Wade is a Team Sergeant OC/T for Burro Team. He is an 18C Engineer Sergeant from 1st SFG (A) and has operational experience in INDOPACOM and CENTCOM. Keith has served on multiple SFOD-As and as a sniper instructor for 1st SFG (A). About the Hosts: MAJ James Maicke commissioned in the Infantry then became Special Forces serving in 3rd SFG (A) as a CPT and 5th SFG (A) as a MAJ. He has served in multiple theaters both in the conventional and special operations. He is currently finishing his time as a Special Operations Recruiter. SFC Clay Coash is currently a Psychological Operations Senior Leader’s Course instructor. He has operational experience in multiple theater across the world. Prior to being a PSYOP NCO, Clay served in the Marine Corps during the 1990s and during a break in service as a country radio DJ. This episode covers:

- SOTD task organization, role of an OC/T and value of training at a CTC

- Interoperability of SOF with CF and partners forces (PF) through shared training experiences

- LSCO: CF against a peer/near peer advisory of equivalent size and how SOF fits into these operations by deep sensing, targeting high priority targets, and enable MDO in the Division deep areas by with and through partners

- CTCs: 10 rotations a year, 8 focused on Brigade and SOF Companies, 1 focused on Division level and SOF Battalion (SOTF), and 1 focused on SOF Group leave (CJSOTF)

- Training the basics: teams that do the most planning and preparation are the most successful; be off natural lines of drift, camouflage, use micro terrain, principles of maneuver are the same mounted or dismounted

- Trends: over reliance on phones / ATAK for planning or communicating, analog products increase shared understanding

- Don’t train PF on unsustainable platform (weapon system, planning system, etc). Use what the PF as accessible

- Understanding the operational environment and adversary’s capabilities, night vision, thermals, sensors of all kinds, etc

- SOF integration with PF and role players, PF plays as host nation forces and role players are that unit’s leadership; role players fulfilling roles in the host nation government, as local civilians, etc

- SOF integration with CF happens at the AOB level and through a liaison element at the Brigade 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