I remember being told about research that said that the US squad is basically on par with forces like Afghan insurgents. At first I was taken aback. Upon further clarification, the equality was not concerned with technical capability, but rather a cognitive one. Basically, if you can out think your opponent, you can accomplish your objective with little emphasis on technology. I didn’t take much of a jump for me to understand this is why guys in flip flops and rusty weapons can cause so many problems with guys carrying $20k worth of equipment on their persons.
Several of our contributing authors to WarNerds (and formerly ODJournal) are on the cutting edge of cognitive research. Their work has appeared in the 2nd quarter issue if Infantry Magazine. You can find it below, along with the academic paper they wrote to support it.
BG Ward, R.; SGT Jackson, T.; Lowrance, N.; and Larsen, C. E. (2017). Cognitive Dominance through the Engagement Decision Matrix. Infantry Magazine. Ft. Benning, GA: US Army.
Or get it here on WarNerds should the link ever break: Cognitive Dominance through the Engagement Decision Matrix
Larsen, C. E.; Lowrance, N.; and Jackson, T. (2016). Engagement Decision Matrix: A model of cognitive dominance for the infantry squad. Academia.edu.
Or get it here on WarNerds should the link ever break: Engagement Decision Matrix A model of cognitive dominance for the infantry squad
Closely related to these articles is the Doctoral dissertation by Larsen. We need leadership education like this so we can raise a generation of thinkers rather than button pushers.
Larsen, C. E. (2015). A Case Study of the Cognitive Apprenticeship Model in Leadership Education (Doctoral dissertation, University of Missouri–Columbia).
Or get it here on WarNerds should the link ever break: A Case Study of the Cognitive Apprenticeship Model in Leadership Education