Staff Ride Handbook

On 10 February 2024

The Department of Military History of the Swedish Defence University has just published an English translation of the Staff Ride Handbook that was published last year. The handbook outlines the historical background of staff rides and outlines how to best plan and conduct a staff ride. The handbook also discusses the pedagogical and practical aspects of staff rides. Here a schematic model is presented on the pedagogical dynamics of a staff ride as regards various target groups, based on their understanding and the varying complexities of staff rides. The handbook also provides a pedagogical toolbox for staff rides.

The handbook can be downloaded here: Staff Ride Handbook: planning and conducting Staff Rides.

Doc. Dr. Mikael Weissmann is a Senior Lecturer in War Studies and the Deputy Director of the Land Operations Division at the Swedish Defence University’s Dep. of War Studies (IKV). He is the co-convenor of the Hybrid Threats Research Group (HTRG) and the Land Warfare Research Group (LWRG), as well as the Principal Investigator of the project “Building Resilience and Psychological Defence: Countering hybrid threats and foreign influence and interference.”

Weissmann’s research focuses on Security, Strategy, Intelligence and Influence. He focuses on four research themes: 1) Hybrid Threats and Foreign Interference, 2) Intelligence Analysis, 3) Land Operations and Tactics, and 4) China and East Asian Security and Strategy. He is also interested in Teaching & Learning with a special interest in practical and scenario-based exercises and examinations as well as Professional Military Education (PME).

His expertise includes:
- Intelligence Analysis
- Russian warfare and influence (particular interest in the Balkans and Eastern Europe)
- Hybrid threats- and warfare
- Urban Warfare
- Military operations and tactics
- China and East Asian security and strategy broadly defined.
- Practical and scenario-based exercises and examinations (including staff rides, wargames, case studies and simulations/roleplaying games)
- Professional Military Education (PME)

His research on China and East Asia focuses on
- China’s foreign policy and role in the world
- the South China Sea
- the North Korean nuclear conflict
- the Taiwan Issue
- Regional and Global Power Shift
- the Belt and Road initiative

ABOUT
Dr Mikael Weissmann is an Associate Professor in War Studies and Academic Head & Deputy Head of the Land Operations Division at the Swedish Defence University. He is co-convenor of the Land Warfare Research Group (LWRG) and the Hybrid Threats Research Group (HTRG). He is also a member of CSCAP-EU.

Weissmann’s research on security, strategy and warfare focuses on four research themes:
1) Hybrid Threats and Foreign Interference, 2) Intelligence Analysis, 3) Land Operations and Tactics, and 4) China and East Asian Security and Strategy.

He is also interested in Teaching & Learning with a special interest in practical and scenario-based exercises and examinations as well as Professional Military Education (PME).

His expertise includes:
- Hybrid threats- and warfare
- Land Warfare
- Urban Warfare
- Intelligence analysis
- Russian warfare and influence (particular interest in the Balkans and Eastern Europe)
- Military operations and tactics
- Military tactical thinking
- China and East Asian security and strategy broadly defined.
- Practical and scenario-based exercises and examinations (including staff rides, war games, case studies, scenario exercises, simulations and roleplaying games)
- Professional Military Education (PME)

His research on China and East Asia focuses on:
- China’s foreign policy and role in the world
- the South China Sea
- the North Korean nuclear conflict
- the Taiwan Issue
- Regional and Global Power Shift
- the Belt and Road initiative

Weissmann has also pursued research on track-two diplomacy, conflict management and peacebuilding as well as Sino-Russian and Europe’s relations with China and East Asia.

Staff Ride Handbook

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