About this episode

The episode discusses the successes of U.S. Army Special Forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, emphasizing the importance of trust and relationships in military operations.

How do we define success on the battlefield? While many have labeled America's efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan failures, that narrative ignores some of the most remarkable successes ever achieved by U.S. Army Special Forces . In this episode, Fran Racioppi sat down with retired Green Beret Colonel Frank Sobchak , professor at the U.S. Naval War College and author of Training for Victory , to discuss the principles behind one of Special Forces' most enduring missions: building partner forces capable of securing their own future. Drawing on decades of operational experience and extensive historical research, Frank explains why success is rarely determined by firepower alone, but by trust, relationships, and leaders willing to invest in others. We explore why language, cultural understanding, consistency, and strategic empathy are far more than soft skills - they are combat multipliers that determine whether an advisory mission succeeds or fails. Frank breaks down why partnering alongside allied forces in combat remains the gold standard for developing capable militaries, how advisor continuity builds the trust required for honest conversations, and why empowering local leaders from…

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