While I was convalescing from losing my left hand and most of my left forearm – the result of a massive FPV and mortar barrage that came down on the Armed Forces of Ukraine’s International Legion squad that I was leading – I read with great interest that the Ukrainian Parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, passed Law 12023, allowing foreigners to become officers in the Ukrainian military.
However, one aspect of the law troubled me: Putting foreigners in charge of existing Ukrainian units makes no sense.
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Law 12023 envisages fielding a fresh Brigade of 5,000-10,000 men – something that could be a watershed moment in the war as it would allow Ukraine to swell the ranks of the International Legion. However, new wine cannot be put into old wine skins: Throngs of new Legionnaires would only join if they knew that their commanding officers were, like them, foreigners and that Legion truly met Western military standards.
To best take advantage of these new reforms, I propose that the Legion undertake a four prong approach:
First, the Legion must be funded and equipped directly by foreign countries. Underlining their contributions, the Legion must prioritize greater transparency, accountability, and auditing of the foreign funds that it receives.
Second, the pay scales and benefits for the Legionnaires must be at NATO levels. Finding the best-of-the-best is only realistic if the Legion’s salaries are aligned to the norms of Western NATO countries, thus enticing Western soldiers who are filtering out of their own nations’ military services.
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Third, the Legion must be organized as per the NATO standard, where non-commissioned officers play an important role in the management and command of the Legion. This will allow the Legion to be more efficient and to best implement NATO-aligned military strategies.
Lastly, the Legion must be fully controlled and commanded by foreigners reporting directly to the Ukrainian High Command. This would give the Legion the standing that it needs to be perceived and to operate as a truly international force for good.
Combined, these four actions would allow the Legion’s ranks to grow quickly.
Fundamentally, for these reforms to come to fruition, and for the Legion to become a real option for Westerners who are interested in volunteering their lives to fight for Ukraine, there must be foreign leadership that assures that all reforms are properly undertaken and who can visit foreign capitals, across the Western Hemisphere, to secure the funding, equipment, and troops.
It is not an exaggeration to say that I am proud of my service for Ukraine: Something that has left me wounded, but determined to make the Legion the best that it can be, something that motivates me to suggest myself to head this initiative – something that I am uniquely qualified to suggest.
Prior to serving in the Ukrainian military, I obtained my bachelor’s degree from the University of Pepperdine in Business Management (’89) and thereafter led the redevelopment of Downtown Santa Monica and NOHO in my native Los Angeles. Later, I moved internationally and was the sole promoter of a $250 million startup real estate fund for Vietnam and Cambodia, in 2017, listed on the London Stock Exchange, which led me to negotiating with the highest levels of the Cambodian and Chinese Governments.
But, there is another element of my background that I believe adds credibility to my argument: I have successfully fought corruption. Just before joining the Legion, I gained US national acclaim for exposing the theft of $35 million of US Department of Energy advanced battery technology by a partially state-owned Chinese firm.
Humbly, it seems like Providence that the passing of the new law occurred during my own service in Ukraine, while recovering from serious injuries. It opened my eyes to how I could next serve Ukraine, to get the Legion to the top of its game by the Spring of 2025.
To begin finding foreign alliances, Poland and the Baltic states would be key, followed by Finland, Sweden, France, and the UK. Once there is a critical mass of “buy-in,” other European nations would be more likely to be receptive to this proposal, which would pave the way for future meetings between the Legion and NATO leadership.
The vision, however, is to expand beyond the literal "West," and to also cooperate with countries like South Korean and Japan, which could contribute nonlethal budget items such as medical supplies and equipment.
The US though, the heart-and-soul of NATO, must be kept abreast of these developments. At present, the US is in a complex state of transition until a new president enters the White House at the end of January 2025.
Ukraine can win, and a key element of that is to fill in a new brigade, already badly needed, who can help to defend the nation from Russia’s brutal assault on civilization. With the Rada’s new law, the possibility for significant reforms is present: However, time is of the essence. If I can best serve Ukraine by heading these key reforms: Then I await my orders.
The views expressed in this opinion article are the author’s and not necessarily those of Kyiv Post.
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