Discussion on The Spear Podcast: A Conflict Centered on Data Battles, Armed with Firearms
In 2021, Dan Leard, a company-grade officer, led his infantry battalion, the 1-38 Infantry, in a deployment to support coalition operations in Syria. This mission marked a departure from Leard's previous deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.
The region where the 1-38 Infantry operated presented a complex operational environment with potential for strategic shifts due to one misstep. The battalion encountered several unique challenges, including direct interactions and confrontations with Russian patrols, countering Iranian-backed influence, and enduring constant surveillance.
Encounters with Russian patrols: The close proximity to Russian forces led to aggressive interactions, such as an incident where a Russian military vehicle rammed a U.S. armored car, resulting in injuries for U.S. troops and heightened tensions. Both sides occupied multiple military outposts in northeast Syria, with each attempting to control access to key areas, leading to escalated confrontations and patrol blockades.
Iranian-backed influence operations: Although specific details about the 1-38 Infantry facing Iranian-backed operations in 2021 are not explicitly documented, the broader context of Syria’s conflict involves significant Iranian influence through militias allied with the Syrian government. These actors commonly engage in influence operations and proxy activities against U.S.-allied forces.
Persistent surveillance: U.S. forces, including units like the 1-38 Infantry, operate within a contested environment featuring constant monitoring and intelligence collection by hostile actors. This persistent surveillance increases operational risk, complicates mission planning, and limits freedom of maneuver. U.S. patrols are frequently observed by opposing forces attempting to predict or disrupt their movements.
These unique challenges contributed to an atmosphere of high tension and risk during the deployment. The frequent close proximity to Russian patrols and Iranian proxies increased the potential for inadvertent escalation or direct conflict. Additionally, the persistent surveillance affected operational security and necessitated adaptive tactics to mitigate risks, maintain situational awareness, and protect U.S. personnel.
In an episode of the podcast The Spear, Leard discusses his experiences, leadership maturation, and guidance given to his soldiers before deployment to Syria. The focus of effort and the battalion's drumbeats significantly influenced his soldiers, shaping their mindset and preparedness for the challenging mission ahead.
[1] Sources: Military Times, Task & Purpose, Defense One, and The Washington Post.
- The complex operational environment in Syria posed a risk to national security, necessitating strategy adaptations in handling war-and-conflicts, particularly involving Russian forces and Iranian proxies, as seen in the 1-38 Infantry's deployment where encounters with Russian patrols were aggressive and resulted in injuries, and where Iranian-backed influence operations presented ongoing challenges.
- In a contested environment, persistent surveillance from hostile actors such as in Syria, increased operational risks for troops like the 1-38 Infantry, as constant monitoring and intelligence collection complicated mission planning, required adaptive tactics to maintain situational awareness, and limited freedom of maneuver.
- Leard's leadership and guidance towards his soldiers before deployment to Syria, as shared on the podcast The Spear, emphasized the importance of focusing their efforts and drumbeats to shape their mindset, preparedness, and resilience for the challenging mission ahead amidst the high tension and constant risk presented by their deployment.
