Riley Clifford

Legal Studies Academy

October 7, 2016

A. Abstract

The title of my senior paper and project is Let Our Soldiers Engage. Throughout the year, my

overreaching topic is rules of engagement for American soldiers which involves the guidelines of

which our soldiers are held responsible for their actions in war zones towards combatants or

citizens in the war zone. Also, regarding what civil liberties U.S. soldiers are expected to hold to

such civilians or combatants. My paper will also be diving into a more specific topic of the

evolution and change of the modern war zone based on location, culture, and new technology

that often comes into play and how ground troops are expected to adapt to different situations

based off one document in order to stay alive. When I was in seventh grade, I read the story

Lone Survivor by a former SEAL named Marcus Lutrell who describes a situation involving

Rules of Engagement in a covert operation involving himself and three other Navy Seals in the

Kunar province of Afghanistan. In the middle of a covert mission, two goat farmers stumbled

upon the group of SEALs on the covert mission. The SEALs had two options; tie down or kill

the goat farmers to possibly face prison time back at home or let the goat farmers go to hope they

wouldnt go straight to the local Taliban forces. To avoid prison time for serving their country

back home, the seals let the local goat farmers go. Soon afterwards, the groups of seals found

themselves surrounded by a large group of Taliban forces of which only one survived, and

several other seals and marines were killed coming in for backup. So, my project derives from

the idea that the rules put in place on Rules of Engagement are potentially endangering our
soldiers and costing lives because of the soldiers need to debate whether their actions could land

them in a prison cell. A debate which there is often no time for in a war zone.

What laws govern Rules of Engagement of American soldiers in war zones?

What examples can be provided of times where American soldiers have violated Rules of

Engagement?

How has the war zone evolved throughout history and in different cultures?

How has technology played a role in just/unjust war?

What line can be drawn in war of what violates human rights versus protecting American

Soldiers?

How does the media and American government view Rules of Engagement?

For my project, I plan on facilitating and hosting a day at a local paintball arena where a large

group of students, teachers, or friends could accompany myself and possibly a small group of

Navy Seals in games of paintball. My paper and project involve seals due to their presence in

the Hampton Roads area and because Rules of Engagement are a big part of their conscious

during war. I want to have the Navy Seals to play with the group that comes to participate, as

well as help me provide a simulation to the players on a possible controversial situation that

could occur in an actual war zone. The paintball would help simulate the war zone along with

explanations by myself and accompanying Seal Team members. Also, part of the pay will go

towards a Navy Seal Foundation so money can be contributed to injured Seals who have been

through these situations throughout their career and put their life on the line. The success of my

project will be evaluated on the amount of money raised for a navy seal foundation, the number

of participants that take part in the paintball game, and the understanding that the simulation will

bring to all the players so they can see a glimpse of what our soldiers put on the line when they
go to protect our freedom. For this project I will need a group of people to participate, a

paintball venue that is willing to cooperate with me, and a small group of seals or military

representatives that have experience in the field and are willing to teach from their experiences.

B. Learning Skills

New Skills
Facilitating a public event for a project
Local communications and military communications
Understanding of the lifestyles of US military
Understanding of paintball

Enhanced Skills
Public speaking
Time management
Legal research and writing
Working with others/ relying on others

C. Marketing Plan/Facilities/Audience
My audience for the day of paintball will be targeted toward the general public. The reason for

the general public to be involved is due to the fact that part of my project will be fundraising for

a Navy Seal Foundation, and the more people, the higher level of money raised, and also they

will receive awareness of real life dilemmas our soldiers from right here in Hampton Roads

could possibly go through while deployed. The general student population will be targeted

because it is a demonstration to show students who may not understand a true sense of the

vulnerability soldiers may take on in the war zone. In a random sample of students, part of the

population highly supports human rights to the point that a soldier can come home from war after

serving their country and be put in jail because of a split-second decision that occurred on the

battlefield. The student group would receive an understanding as to the intensity and complexity

of the war zone and the decisions that must take place in the heat of battle. I will ensure the right

demographic of people attend and support the event through word of mouth in the community

and school to recruit peers to take part in the paintball event. A possible way to find an audience
may be to conduct a survey to isolate students who arent well informed on the nature of the War

Zone or the dangers that soldiers face. For this event I will choose whatever local paintball

facility is most reasonable and supportive of the task I am trying to complete from a practical and

financial position. The right venue would be key in the ability to raise money and put on a

smooth running project.

D. Project Steps

Preliminary Contacting different paintball venues and comparing. Meeting with 5

Steps consultant. Choosing and evaluating a venue. Reaching Navy Seal hours
contacts. +

Midway Finding a small group of seals who will participate in the event and 5
Steps meet with them to discuss the objectives and goals. hours
Finalizing/securing the venue. Spreading the word about the event to +
reach to targeted audience.

Later Steps Setting up materials, Ensuring the arrival of the participants, making 6
sure the guests are prepared. Taking part in the paintball event, the hours
simulation, and short talks to tell the audience of our goals and +
objectives. Contacting possible donors to raise the amount collected
for the Navy Seal Foundation.

Follow Up Taking time to make thank you notes. Conducting surveys to get 4
feedback and determine how successful the project was. Clean up the hours
paintball venue and return all of the materials. +

Total 20
Hours
+

E. Project Documentation

I plan to document my project in the following days:

Blog
Pictures/videos
Time log
Emails
Interviews
Research/paper
Flyers
Surveys
F. Project Justification

This project is a quality project because it outlines the real life and essential issue of Rules of

Engagement for American Soldiers. Living in Virginia Beach, several students have family in

the armed forces and military is a part of Virginia Beachs identity, especially with teams of

SEALs located in the area. With the project I can spread awareness about the gravity of the

issue and help give a perspective of what the life of soldier may entail. This project is a

challenge for me because my family has no military background, and it forces me to utilize local

connections to make a day of paintball meaningful through demonstrations, chats, and

gameplay while ensuring the message gets across. I hope to relay the message on to my peers

as well as part of the surveyed community to give them an understanding of the difficulties that

may take place on a battlefield.

G. Project-Paper Connection

I am researching the effect of War Zones on Rules of Engagement and how this affects

American Soldiers in our armed forces. To make a connection with this research, I will host a

paintball event that may simulate a war zone through two different sides in a game of paintball

and possible demonstrations from experienced American Soldiers from the community. For my

project, I plan to recruit local SEALs to help give credible information through experience to the

participants of my project. Through the demonstrations and game play, I hope to simulate a war

zone and show how Rules of Engagement might affect the game and explain how this could

relate to a war zone that our U.S. Soldiers enter.

H. Academic Honesty

Academic honesty is ensuring that all work that is done is done by myself or through my

facilitation and not using unauthorized assistance during the steps of my project. Also, I will

complete my work without tampering research, plagiarizing, or cheating throughout the duration

of the project. Plagiarism is the practice of taking someone elses work and stating them as if it
is ones own work without giving credit to that persons work. I understand if I plagiarize or fail to

follow the academic honesty policy there will be punishments.

I understand that any academic dishonesty by me on any part of the project will result in failure

of the Senior Project and forfeiture of the Legal Studies Seal on my High School diploma.