Course Overview
IW 101 focuses on understanding the definition and concept of IW, the operations and activities classified as IW, the global players who engage in IW, and it addresses past, current, and emerging IW trends.
Irregular warfare (IW) is a form of conflict in which state and non-state actors rely on non-traditional means—insurgency, guerrilla actions, sabotage, subversion, and information operations—rather than large-scale, conventional battlefield engagements. It is used to exploit asymmetries between opponents, allowing smaller or less-resourced forces to contest a stronger adversary by avoiding direct confrontation and instead targeting political, social, and economic vulnerabilities. Practitioners blend military, political, economic, and informational tools to influence populations, undermine rival legitimacy, and create conditions favorable to their objectives. States may employ irregular approaches covertly or through proxies and special operations, while insurgent groups use them to erode government control and build local support. Because the conflict’s center of gravity is often perceptions and popular support rather than territory alone, irregular warfare is chosen when actors seek long-term political change, wish to avoid the costs of open war, or cannot match an opponent’s conventional capabilities.
Learning Objectives:
- Explain the definition and nature of IW
- Identify operations and activities under IW
- Describe the causes and motivations of IW actors
- Summarize current IW trends
Irregular Warfare Center (IWC)
The stated mission of the Irregular Warfare Center (IWC) from Title X § 345 is: “to serve as a central mechanism for developing the irregular warfare knowledge of the Department of Defense and advancing the understanding of irregular warfare concepts and doctrine, in collaboration with key partners and allies.”
Information about the IWC, to include additional training opportunities can be found on the IWC website at: https://irregularwarfarecenter.org
Irregular Warfare 101
About the Instructor
Dr. Jeffrey V. Gardner
Dr. Gardner is the Chief of Curriculum and Senior Faculty at the Irregular Warfare Center (IWC). He is a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel who served at all levels from tactical to strategic. He has deployments to the Balkans, Afghanistan and in a Joint Special Operations Task Force in Iraq. He served at the U.S. European Command and on the staff of U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff. After retiring he worked at NATO Allied Command Transformation as a counter terrorism planner and instructor. He also served as a Colonel of Militia commanding a state defense force brigade for incident response, command and control and crisis management.
Dr Gardner has also worked as faculty at the NATO Special Operations University for 10 years teaching intelligence and advanced courses such as Countering Hybrid Threats and Comprehensive Defense for Allied Special Operations Command (SOFCOM). Dr Gardner has over 18 years of instructional experience including in the U.S. National Defense University Joint and Combined Warfighting School as an Assistant Professor, Curriculum Lead and won faculty of the year in 2011. He holds three master’s degrees, a PhD in Homeland Security, is an Army Strategist, a U.S. Joint Planner, and an Air War College graduate. Dr Gardner also instructs civilian college courses on Homeland Security/Defense.