How do we define success on the battlefield? While many have labeled America's efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan failures, that narrative ignores some of the most remarkable successes ever achieved by U.S. Army Special Forces.

In this episode, Fran Racioppi sat down with retired Green Beret Colonel Frank Sobchak, professor at the U.S. Naval War College and author of Training for Victory, to discuss the principles behind one of Special Forces' most enduring missions: building partner forces capable of securing their own future. Drawing on decades of operational experience and extensive historical research, Frank explains why success is rarely determined by firepower alone, but by trust, relationships, and leaders willing to invest in others.

We explore why language, cultural understanding, consistency, and strategic empathy are far more than soft skills - they are combat multipliers that determine whether an advisory mission succeeds or fails. Frank breaks down why partnering alongside allied forces in combat remains the gold standard for developing capable militaries, how advisor continuity builds the trust required for honest conversations, and why empowering local leaders from the very beginning creates lasting success long after American forces have departed.

Our conversation also challenges the conventional narrative surrounding Iraq and Afghanistan by highlighting overlooked success stories like the Iraqi Special Operations Forces, an organization built through years of patient advising and partnership. Finally, we examine what Frank calls "Cold War 2.0" and how the changing character of warfare—from drones and artificial intelligence to digital surveillance—only reinforces the enduring importance of the human domain.

Highlights:

0:00 Welcome to the Jedburgh Podcast

3:54 The Importance of Language

9:13 Cultural Astuteness in Special Forces

13:26 Training Partner Forces

21:45 Host Nation Perspective

25:00 Advisor to Partner Ratios

30:38 The Importance of Combat Advising

33:22 Defining Combat Effectiveness

36:52 US Maintaining Global Order

41:41 Writing Training for Victory

Quotes:

“If you don’t speak the language, it really complicates things.”

“There were times when I felt like I’m at a disadvantage because I’m speaking through an interpreter.”

“You have to understand their perspective.”

“It is those personal connections and those relationships that really matter.”

“We fought 10 Iraq wars, one year at a time.”

“These are risks that commanders and leaders have to look for, identify, recognize, and take action.”

“Anytime you’re doing FID or security force assistance and you’re working with partners, it is two steps forward, one step back.”

“The host nation actually really did like when the same people came back because that gave them consistency.”

“I would put it at a company to an ODA.”

“Combat advising still is the gold standard.”

“Our profession is all about risk.”

“The character of war is changing, but the nature of war is immortal.”

“I firmly believe that the world is a far better place with America leading it.”

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