The Human Demands of Modern Combat

MG(R) John Kline

On this episode, we're diving into the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Inevitably, that conversation involves a little bit of drone technology talk, but we focus mostly on the human demands of this kind of warfare. When every single piece of equipment, food, etc. has to travel the last several miles on foot, what does that require of the individual soldier? When there is near-constant visual and thermal surveillance, how do operations have to adapt? We break down all that and more, with some time saved at the end to talk about the ACFT implementation, since our guest played a key role in that as well.

Major General Kline graduated from Shippensburg University, Pennsylvania, in 1992 and was commissioned as a Field Artillery officer, where he served three years as a Fire Support Officer and later a MLRS platoon leader before transferring to the Aviation branch until his promotion to Major General.

Major General Kline commanded tactical aviation units at the company, battalion, and brigade levels. His aviation command assignments include A Company, 5th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment in Germany; 5th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment (Task Force Eagle Assault) in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade located at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, Georgia. 

In combat, Major General Kline served as the Executive Officer for 5th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment in Tikrit, Iraq from 2005-2006; Deputy Brigade Commander for 101st Combat Aviation Brigade in Bagram, Afghanistan in 2008; Battalion Commander of 5th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment at FOB Wolverine near Qalat, Afghanistan from 2010-2011; and Commander of Task Force Forge in Helmand, Afghanistan from 2015-2016. 

Uniquely, he also represented the United States in direct communication with the Taliban Political Commission (TPC) in Doha, Qatar, in 2021. 

Specific to this podcast, he was Alex's commander at CIMT as his final command, overseeing the implementation of the ACFT and H2F. After leaving command but before retiring, he was the Army lead for the Ukraine/Russia Lessons study focused on capturing the lessons from that conflict, which is what we'll be focusing most of today's conversation on.