What is the value of a Staff Ride to personal and professional individual development as well as for the unit?

Sir, In my humble opinion, it is important to know where the unit cam from. t's history, traditions and legacy. Also, staff rides help you evaluate the tactical, operational and strategic importance of events and how leaderships shaped that event. I think it helps provide insight and develop critical thinking. Lastly, those who do not heed the lessons of the past are doomed to repeat them.

I think Staff Rides are very important. As a student of history, I have learned that war typically doesn't change all that much. Sure, the names, uniforms, locations, and technology change, but war itself does not. To be effective on future battlefields, it is important to study history to know what was done before. Very few challenges leaders face are truly unique. Most of the time, some leader, somewhere has encountered a similar situation in the past. A good example of this was when my unit adopted hillbilly armor on our vehicles during OIF 1. A Vietnam era gun truck sitting in the Transportation Corps museum became the inspiration for our home made armor kits. I am very much in favor of any opportunity to teach our leaders history. It is scary how few leaders study history.

I am a big believer in Staff Rides, but sometimes it seems they are not utilized to their greatest effect. Being in Europe now, I plan on using them to affect as many as possible!