While only occasionally crossing into military aviation, its worth a *looooong* read if you dont know what to do one afternoon...
Rattler
http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/index.php
NOTE the total forums map, truly impressive (w/ sub forums) and there is something for everyone:
- The Small Wars Community of Interest
- The Whole News: Post and debate the news; good, bad and ugly. News ignored by the mainstream media especially welcomed here.
- Blog Watch: Seen something good on a blog lately? Let the rest of us know about it, and share your thoughts.
- Miscellaneous Goings On: Events, books, new analyses, heard on the street notables, etc.
- RFIs & Members' Projects: Looking for something? Float your question here, and see what the community has to say in response.
- Small Wars Council / Journal: Suggestions. Praise. New developments. Complaints. Praise. Tips & Tricks. More praise.
- Members Only Forums
- Tell Us About You: Who are you and what do you do?
- The Kitakidogo Social Club: Swahili for smallwars. Gather 'round the fire, grab a G&T, clean your guns, and solve the world's problems. Nothing is off-topic, but the ROE still apply. Relax, let the threads wander, but not your values.
- The Non-Virtual Community: In the spirit of the 3Bs of deep thinking -- basements, bars, and backyards; this forum is to facilitate local get-togethers.
- Jobs & Job Seekers: Employment in the extended Small Wars community. Threads expire after 60 days.
- Small Wars Participants & Stakeholders
- Trigger Puller: Boots on the ground, steel on target -- the pointy end of the spear.
- Military - Other: Echelons away from the trigger pullers, from operational art and theater logistics to service combat development to just plain FOBbits.
- Government Agencies & Officials: War zone governance, and in-country political, economic, development assistance.
- War Zone Citizen: Those who put the I in indigenous.
- NGO & Humanitarian: Non-government delivery of services and relief of suffering
- Adversary / Threat: One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter. Talk about (or with?) them.
- Media, Information & Cyber Warriors: Getting the story, dealing with those who do, and operating in the information & cyber domains. Not the news itself
- The Coalition Speaks: Too often, coalition means them and US. Talk about US, and working together.
- Law Enforcement: The application of law, order, and justice -- here, there, and everywhere / international.
- PMCs and Entrepreneurs: Applied capitalism. Making money in the war zone, and the issues that go with it.
- Social Sciences, Moral, and Religious: Applying the soft sciences and higher laws.
- Politics In the Rear: National will and developments back home for the intervening nations.
- Historians: The practice of history, and historical analysis. See FAQ for where to discuss history relevant to other forums.
- Futurists & Theorists: Future Competition & Conflict, Theory & Nature of Conflict, 4GW through 9?GW, Transformation, RMA, etc.
- Conflicts -- Current & Future
- Global & General
- Global Issues & Threats: Trans-national issues and actors. Culture and the Clash of Civilizations.
- International Politics: Nations, Their Interests, and Their Competitors.
Operation Iraqi Freedom
- Iraqi Governance
- US Policy, Interest, and Endgame
- Who is Fighting Whom? How and Why?
- The Information War
- Catch-All, OIF
Other U.S. GWOT
- OEF - Afghanistan
- OEF - Horn of Africa
- OEF - Philippines
- Catch-All, GWOT
Other, By Region
- Middle East
- Central Asia
- South Asia
- Asia-Pacific
- Africa
- Americas
- Europe
Military Art & Science Applied
- Doctrine & TTPs: Enduring doctrinal principles, what really works now (or not), and the TTPs that deliver them.
- Training & Education: Developing effective, thinking, proficient Small Warriors.
- Equipment & Capabilities: Relevant capabilities and equipment are table stakes for winning those hearts and minds.
- FID & Working With Indigenous Forces: Training, advising, and operating with local armed forces in Foreign Internal Defense.
- Strategic Compression: The compression of roles and effects. The Strategic Corporal meets the "turn left" National Security Advisor.
- Intelligence: What do we know, need to know, and how do we get there?
- It Ain't Just Killin': Applying influence, working with civil and private agencies, dealing with non-combatants.
- Catch-All, Military Art & Science
- Global & General