10 Lessons from the Black Hawk Down

Michael Byers

1. Don't be predictable. Warlords in Mogadishu got acquainted with the MO of the US army, so they were waiting for them as soon as they knew they were coming.
2. Don't underestimate your adversary. Both soldiers and leaders thought the Somalia guerrilla didn't have the training or the weapons to fight back.
3. Be prepared for the job. Most soldiers decided to leave part of their gear in the base when they were called for the mission.
4. Know the battlefield. Commanders and soldiers knew almost nothing about Mogadishu. Nobody had first hand knowledge of city streets.
5. Assess the people. Commanders never brought to the equation the feelings of the inhabitants. They did not evaluate the hostility of the population.
6. Have a plan B. No team was pre-assembled to intervene if things went awry. No plan was made if something went wrong.
7. Never lose sight of your team. Once and again, techs were left behind the lines, and commanders and intelligence lost track of them.
8. Always keep calm. Once and again reinforcements lacked knowledge of the situation, clear instructions, and material resources to do a proper job due to the lack of serenity and clear thinking of high command.
9. Ask for help. Don't drown without screaming. Only when the number of casualties became unmanageable did the high command begin to seek assistance from the international force assembled in Somalia.
10. Encourage your team members. Lower level leaders took the initiative in the face of the catastrophe and save countless lives of their buddies.