#7A--Tim Barrick

Note: This is part one of a two-part interview with Col Barrick. The conclusion will be released shortly. In this episode, we discuss -Barrick’s early military training and educational experiences at the US Naval Academy, The Basic School, and the Army’s Armor Officer Basic Course -Barrick’s thoughts on the reaction course at Officer Candidate School -The sandtable tests that Barrick underwent at the Armor Officer Basic Course -Barrick’s experiences with FMFM 1 Warfighting and the Marine Corps Warfighting Skills Program as a company-grade officer -The degree to which Marines actually practice maneuver warfare -The role of trust and adaptation in maneuver warfare -Barrick’s experiences as a staff officer with Combined Joint Task Force 76 in Afghanistan in 2004 -One instance of how Barrick’s formal PME schooling failed him during his interactions and collaboration with NATO planners in Kabul -Another hard learned lesson, this one involving NATO planners and an Afghan military parade -Barrick’s experiences attending the Advisor Training Group in 29 Palms and the limits of training -Barrick’s time as a senior advisor to an Afghan National Civil Order Police Brigade in 2011-12 -Barrick’s hair-raising experience planning a Afghan National Army-led operation to counter Afghan warlords in Herat in 2004—all in 24 hours -What lifelong lessons Barrick took away from hi advisor deployment -How Barrick got into wargaming -Barrick’s experiences wargaming at the Naval Academy -The lack of wargaming opportunities throughout Barrick’s Marine Corps career -The benefits and disadvantages of analog and digital wargames -How tools like Zoom have facilitated virtual wargaming -The many benefits of wargames for warfighters -Creating a culture of wargaming in the Marine Corps -Thoughts on creating wargame facilitators for the Marine Corps -Leveraging the gaming habits of Marines to generate interest in wargaming -Commercial wargames that could be used to generate such interest -How Barrick used wargames at the Marine Corps Tactics Operations Group -The limitations of wargames -The value of wargaming for planning -The Warfighting Lab’s use of games like Command: Professional Edition Links -The Marine Corps' Warfighting Skills Program: https://www.themaneuverist.org/resources-main-page/thedustybookshelf/ (See the column of links second from the left,) -Wargame: Red Dragon: https://www.epicgames.com/store/en-US/p/wargame-red-dragon -Flashpoint Campaigns: https://store.steampowered.com/app/330720/Flashpoint_Campaigns_Red_Storm_Players_Edition/ -Command: Professional Edition: https://www.warfaresims.com/?page_id=3822 -Combat Mission: Shock Force 2: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1369370/Combat_Mission_Shock_Force_2/ -Battle Academy 2: Eastern Front: https://store.steampowered.com/app/306640/Battle_Academy_2_Eastern_Front/ -The Operational Art of War IV: https://store.steampowered.com/app/792660/The_Operational_Art_of_War_IV/