These Battlefield Studies and Staff Rides have been provided to Brigade, Regiment, Battalion, Company, and Squadron Groups and have included armoured, infantry, artillery, medical, engineer, mechanical engineer, EOD, military police, and military working dog units.
We recognise that Military Battlefield Studies and Battlefield Staff Rides are distinctly different from battlefield tours and are directed by the chain of command as formal training and education. Our SMEs work closely with the chain of command to deliver a package that meets defined criteria to prepare formations, units, and individuals for future operations. Their input will enhance a participant’s understanding of the historical relevance of a battle, its synergy to current operations and their comprehension of conventional and limited operations.
Our SMEs will assist the unit in designing a package that delivers the core function of professional education to military units and formations. These should not be confused with other activities on former battlefields such as commemorations, the maintenance of memorials, or team-building exercises, they are formal training and education as directed by the Chain of Command.
Military Battlefield Studies and Battlefield Staff Rides have three distinct phases:
Preliminary Study — The systematic preliminary study of the selected campaign prior to visiting the sites associated with that campaign. This often takes the form of preliminary study day(s) and our SMEs will usually set the scene for the field study during this initial phase.
Field Study — An extensive visit to the actual sites associated with that campaign to integrate contextual lessons through the use of personal accounts and vignettes at carefully selected locations along the field study route. This is where the use of a Battlefield Staff Rides SME comes into its own. Not only will they lead the package, but they will facilitate the participation of those attending to enhance their individual professional development as well as attain the commander’s intent and identified training objectives.
Post-Study Integration — A post-visit phase aimed at confirming the lessons learned and setting the stage for future development. This often takes the form of an integration study day(s) and our SMEs will usually draw together the lessons learned during the field study and assist the unit in identifying and setting the stage for future study and development.
An SME from Battlefield Staff Rides will link the historical events, preliminary study, and terrain to produce battle analysis and facilitate the analysis and application of current military doctrine through the prism of military history.
