Publisher's Synopsis
The Joint Special Operations University (JSOU) partnered with the Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict (SO/LIC) Chapter of the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) in sponsoring the annual chapter essay contest. The first-place winner and runner-up are recognized each year at the NDIA SO/LIC Symposium in mid-February with monetary prizes and certificates. The competition is open to resident and nonresident students attend¬ing Professional Military Education (PME) institutions and has produced outstanding works on special operations issues. These essays provide current insights on what our PME students see as priority national security issues affecting special operations. Essay contestants can choose any topic related to special operations. Submissions include hard-hitting and relevant recommendations that many Special Operations Forces (SOF) commanders throughout United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) find very useful.Essays Included in this publication: Is Democracy the Answer to Terrrorism?Winning the Battle of the Narratives in AfghanistanOperation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Afghanistan 2001Fostering Gender Equality as a Means to Counter Radical Religious Islamic MovementsSOF-Led Joint In-Country Assessment and Planning Teams as a Method for Strengthening Weak and Failing NationsPostindustrial Warfare and Swarm Theory: Implications for Special OperationsEnhancing Civil Affairs Assessments with Social Network AnalysisThe Role of SOF Direct Action in CounterinsurgencyWords Mean Something: Clarifying the Nuances among Irregular Warfare, Stability Operations, and Special Operations
