BroBeau:
Very good questions/thought process, as usual.
The team I work with, while "contractors," are not looked upon in the same manner as those who many are seeing as a "private army"...a group of "shooters"...etc. Our effort is that of "Advisors" and we work hand in hand with CF Embedded Training Teams (ETTs)...etc. NOW, that is NOT to say there we don't have some "issues" w/re to our interface with the Active Duty folks. One of the rubs, of course, is that a lot of the "AcDu" folks serving as ETTs are not Regular Army, but rather Guard & Reserve, and as mentioned earlier, altho most are giving it their best, they simply do not have the depth of experience that we have...and...that sometimes causes some hurt feelings when we mention that thus and such could (should) be done a different way...etc. We (our Team) has no directive authority, and that also causes some issues, at least with me. I can see where we need to do something differently, yet "can't make it happen," and you've known me long enuff to know that really drives me nuttz! That said, however, I do use my sssooooooave and daaayboner talents at "influencing the thinking/action" to the max!!!
One of the other main issues is that the NATO folks who come in to serve in an advisory role are only here for six months...making for a very marginally effective effort when it comes to continuity of effort. We have some Brits here now (some RAF/RA/RMs), and while we (again, our Team) are getting along with them quite well (me getting along grrrr8 with the RMs), the Afghans do NOT care for them because of past history with them. Such "feelings" are more than just a little counterproductive, but....
Anyway, don't want to bore you and others...so enuff for now.
Semper Fi From the Sands of Kandahar,
El Lobo Viejo Griz de Kandahar