One Shepherd has been a Warrior-Leader rite of passage since 1981. We continue to train civilians and government personnel toward the spirit of the warrior, the art of the leader, and the compassion of the shepherd. One Warrior, One Leader, One Shepherd.
In the military tradition of kriegspiele One Shepherd is established as responsible leadership education for Warriors who are in turn accountable to their host communities. We are dedicated to the highest quality of learning, in a safe environment. We remain an inclusive, plural community of Warriors.One Shepherd training includes individual warrior tasks, team-based battle drills, unit-based tactical operations, and leadership competencies. Participating members spend two semesters developing individual warrior tasks and battle drills that involve various battlefield operating systems - small arms proficiency, MILES 2000 and MILES IWS familiarity, night vision optics, tactical radio and telephone communication and protocol, plus map reading and land navigation skills. Participating members enter leadership track training in their third through sixth semesters. The leadership curriculum involves mission assessment, decision-making models, leading processes, inspection processes, reflective assessement, ethics, and becoming self-aware of one's positionality in relation to others.
Throughout the curriculum, small unit tactics are explored in order to offer opportunities for leadership in decision-making exercises. Each of the six semesters offer a seminar in dismounted patrolling tactics to cover offensive operations of deliberate attack, movement to contact, pursuit and exploitation, plus special purpose attacks involving ambush and raid. The seminars also cover defensive operations of area defense, mobile defense, retrograde defense, and the implementation of rally points and patrol bases. Finally, the seminars cover enabling operations of logistical resupply, screen, guard, and cover security, plus reconnaissance missions - zone, route, area/point, and vanguard reconnaissance in force.
One Shepherd’s work with Warrior-Leaders around the globe has produced numerous book titles. Most notably, The Small Unit Tactics SMARTbook (The Lightning Press) has been institutionalized by all four branches of the US Armed Forces and allied militaries worldwide. The first title of the Opposing Force (OPFOR) SMARTbook series is now available and will continue development of two more OPFOR titles through 2015 and 2016. Additional publications such as the online repository Olive Drab Journal continue to offer leadership perspectives on martial training.
One Shepherd continues to expand the envelope of warrior capabilities and scholarly expertise.