Studies in:
International Stability & Security Operations
Counter Insurgency & Counter Terrorism
Military Force Protection
Special Operations
As the name indicates, Operational Studies is a research group that draws on a pool of professionals possessing real-world operational and training experience. OS military studies are currently focused on conflict / post-conflict operations, stability & reconstruction (S&R), counter insurgency, force protection, security sector reform (SSR), and tasks associated with special operations. The group’s law enforcement studies are focused on homeland and maritime security, counter terrorism, tactical operations, hostage rescue, and modern LE training methodology.
Long before the current declared Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), criminals, terrorists and insurgents had proven that they were adaptive and resilient. As such their methodologies, tactics and techniques needed to be studied so that counter-measures could be developed and disseminated to the appropriate authorities.
Operational Studies staff has been studying these various bad actors since the late seventies when groups such as the Red Brigade and PLO were wreaking havoc in Western Europe and the Middle East, through to the current cast of characters and violent extremists affiliated to the likes of Al Qaeda.
Driven by the importance of the on-going operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, Operational Studies has been focused on these regions for the past six years, with particular interest in Phase IV stability operations, counter insurgency, and the complexities of military force protection. One of the more practical aspects of OS work is the collection of Lessons Learned at both the tactical and strategic levels so these can be rolled back into current and future training programs.
OS has also been doing significant real-world research into the issues related to armed contractors in the battle-space in the form of protective security details (PSD), convoy escort teams (CET), facility security guards, third country nationals (TCN), and host country nationals (HCN). Operational Studies Director, Mark Lonsdale, has lectured on the issues directly related to interoperability between security contractors and military units on the ground at such venues as the US Army War College and Rebuild Iraq conference in Washington, DC.
At the tactical level, and as with all real-world operations, military or law enforcement, effective training must incorporate a level of flexibility to meet the constantly changing methods of an often elusive foe. Therefore all special operations training programs must be in a process of constant review and regular upgrade in response to the team’s operational needs and advances in equipment technology. To facilitate this, Operational Studies supports the Specialized Tactical Training Unit (STTU) with the latest information on Tactics, Techniques & Procedures (TTP). STTU then develops the courseware and implements training programs to better prepare military units and law enforcement tactical teams to confront their adversaries. These training materials, combined with input from OS advisors, have also served as the foundation for standard operational procedures (SOPs) for several US and overseas LE agencies and military groups.
We come to you – OS staff is made up of former military, intelligence, or law enforcement personnel with exceptional backgrounds and experience in special operations, counter terrorism and tactical training. Each studies group or mobile training team (MTT) is structured to meet the operational requirements of the host agency or military unit.
Although Operational Studies and STTU have produced several books related to tactical training, these are not representative of the full extent of the Group’s research, or the material covered in the current STTU lecture and training programs. The Group is well aware that it is a constant challenge to balance the information that can be disseminated freely, with that which would be considered sensitive TTPs that could compromise future operations.
Several groups have in fact asked that we not show or discuss specific operational procedures or their tactical capabilities, generally related to Tier 1 hostage rescue and counter insurgency operations. The Group has respected that request and continues to work with these teams by maintaining that trust and confidentiality.
It is only through this assured confidentiality that Operational Studies and STTU will continue to have access to national and international operational teams, war zones and the various hot-spots that flare up on an all too regular basis. Obviously, it is partly this access that keeps the Group’s research, lectures and training materials on the cutting edge of modern special operations.
Operational Studies Director, Mark Lonsdale, is an internationally recognized advisor on military, security & law enforcement operations and training program development. He is a 3rd degree black belt in Judo, a former national champion, a competitive high-powered rifle shooter, and has ranked in the US Top Ten combat shooters. With over two decades of experience, Lonsdale first forged STTU's training programs and support materials into some of the finest available and is now applying that same discipline and academic rigor to the Operational Studies programs.
After experiencing the military's inefficient and ineffective training methods in the 1980s, Lonsdale was encouraged to create STTU and become a military advisor specializing in mission-specific training programs. Lonsdale then founded the Operational Studies Group to better support STTU training operations and as a stand-alone research group positioned to support Department of Defense contracts, federal law enforcement, and coalition partners.
Lonsdale has taught instructor level programs for US federal law enforcement and the Department of Defense; lectured at the University level on MOOTW in both the US and Europe; written several books, dozens of articles and academic papers; and was a frequent lecturer in the Washington, DC area. Lonsdale has also worked in over thirty countries throughout Asia, Africa, Europe, the Balkans and the Middle East. He has worked as a military and security advisor in the Afghan theater of operations; as a DoD security contractor in Iraq; and is actively involved in the pre-deployment training of US military intelligence and special forces personnel.
To keep the Group’s research on the cutting edge, Lonsdale continues to run international security operations, research new technologies, train in a wide variety of military disciplines, study after action reports, and travel extensively to the world’s hot spots.