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View Full Version : Duffers Drift Redux: Nightmare on Wazir Street



Tom Odom
06-13-2008, 02:55 PM
I was lucky to work with a very bright Major here in putting this together. It is unclassified and can be found at the following links as well as download it.


Nightmare on Wazir Street (http://call.army.mil/docs/08-39/toc.asp)

Preface (http://call.army.mil/docs/08-39/preface.asp)
2LT Backsight Forethought's Family Lineage

Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;
An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.
Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' :Tommy, 'ow's yer soul?:
But it's :Thin red line of 'eroes: when the drums begin to roll,
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it's :Thin red line of 'eroes: when the drums begin to roll.

Tommy
Rudyard Kipling

This recollection of combat nightmares is dedicated to those who “stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy the enemies of the United States of America in close combat.”

A little more than a century ago, my great-great-grandfather Backsight Forethought returned to Ireland from service in the Boer War as a lieutenant in the Royal Irish Rifles. BF was, according to family oral history, something of a weird duck given to long walks and even longer conversations with himself. Most disturbing to his fellow Irishmen of the day was his tendency to refer to dreams as a guiding source in his life after his return from South Africa. Ultimately, the confining nature of Irish society, climate, and country prompted BF to emigrate from Ireland to the United States, where his ways blended in and he enjoyed greater room to roam as he murmured to himself about somebody named “Oom.” BF passed away in 1945 with his family and heirs around him. One was my great-grandfather, BF II, and another was his son, BF III, my grandfather. True to our Irish roots, we had kept alive the patrilineal heritage, naming each firstborn son after the man who brought the family to America.

With that shared name came a shared but selective gift. You see, every BF since Great-Great-Grandpa BF has been guided by his dreams. BF the First chose to write a short book about his dreams in the Boer War, hoping to share his hard won insights with following generations of lieutenants facing combat for the first time. BF II said that short work helped him survive the tragedy of the trenches in WWI. BF III, just back from Europe in 1945, assured his grandfather, BF the First, that his dreams had guided him in the long march up the Italian boot. My father, BF IV, experienced the same in Vietnam.

And so it has proved for me. Like my great-great-grandfather, I have chosen to recount my experiences on paper. This tale encompasses an amalgamation of events and lessons learned that took place during the Iraq phase of the Global War on Terrorism. I hope that by reading this narrative, some leader on a future battlefield will apply the basic principles illuminated through the pain of another. Nowadays it is important to remember, when making an assessment of our enemies, that the insurgent has been practicing insurgency for a few years. He is extremely smart and adaptive. Right now one of them is hard at work developing a diabolical plan to try and kill you. Remember, all the dumb insurgents are dead.

Backsight Forethought, V
2LT, Infantry*

* With respectful acknowledgement of The Defence of Duffer's Drift by then Captain E.D. Swinton, D.S.O., R.E. (later Major General Sir Ernest Swinton, K.B.E., C.B., D.S.O.)

Prologue: Arrival in Iraq (http://call.army.mil/docs/08-39/prologue.asp)
The First Nightmare: Avoid the Obvious (http://call.army.mil/docs/08-39/1st.asp)
The Second Nightmare: Set the Conditions (http://call.army.mil/docs/08-39/2nd.asp)
The Third Nightmare: Don't Make Fatal Assumptions (http://call.army.mil/docs/08-39/3rd.asp)
The Fourth Nightmare: War Is Not Fair: Use All the Advantages to Kill the Enemy (http://call.army.mil/docs/08-39/4th.asp)


Download in PDF (http://call.army.mil/docs/08-39/08-39.pdf)

Rank amateur
06-13-2008, 03:18 PM
I've downloaded and will read when I get a chance. I think all veterans should do the same. (My father in law passed away just before I met my future wife. She often mentions how much he would've enjoyed sharing his combat stories with me and I always reply that I would've loved to hear them. It's really a shame that he never wrote them down.)

If anyone else has similar documents, I'd love to read them too: especially about older conflicts.

Steve Blair
06-13-2008, 03:25 PM
Uh...you do realize that this is a semi-fictional account intended as a training aid...right?

Ken White
06-13-2008, 03:29 PM
is Tilda...:rolleyes:

Rank amateur
06-13-2008, 03:55 PM
Uh...you do realize that this is a semi-fictional account intended as a training aid...right?

No. Since I hadn't read it yet, but I'm still interested in the real McCoy. You guys are all so darn professional around here. If you don't want to "share the drama" here, I'd still be interested off line. (Don't worry. It'll be our little secret. It won't make you look unprofessional.) And if you could throw dad's or grandpa's accounts into a scanner, I think that would be really interesting.

patmc
06-13-2008, 03:58 PM
"The Defense of Jisr al Doreaa" by Michael Burganoyne and Albert Markwardt is another great Iraq update of Duffer's Drift about a PL at a COP in an Iraqi village. Lots of great small unit lessons.

I tried attaching the pdf, but it failed. It is posted on the companycommand.mil website for those with AKO access. If you can find, check it out.

Tom Odom
06-13-2008, 04:01 PM
"The Defense of Jisr al Doreaa" by Michael Burganoyne and Albert Markwardt is another great Iraq update of Duffer's Drift about a PL at a COP in an Iraqi village. Lots of great small unit lessons.

I tried attaching the pdf, but it failed. It is posted on the companycommand.mil website for those with AKO access. If you can find, check it out.

That one is also on the CALL restricted site.

Cavguy
06-13-2008, 04:01 PM
"The Defense of Jisr al Doreaa" by Michael Burganoyne and Albert Markwardt is another great Iraq update of Duffer's Drift about a PL at a COP in an Iraqi village. Lots of great small unit lessons.

I tried attaching the pdf, but it failed. It is posted on the companycommand.mil website for those with AKO access. If you can find, check it out.

It's also on the http://coin.army.mil AKO and sharepoint. It's UNCLASS, so I will send it to the Admins if nothing else.

SWJED
06-13-2008, 08:41 PM
"The Defense of Jisr al Doreaa (http://www.smallwarsjournal.com/documents/jisaldoreaa.pdf)" by Captains Michael Burganoyne and Albert Markwardt is now posted at SWJ. Large file - over 6 mb...

Thanks Cavguy!

Dave

Juan Rico
08-25-2008, 09:17 AM
having just read fmfm 1a (http://www.d-n-i.net/fcs/pdf/fmfm_1-a.pdf), i couldn't help but notice the difference in the proportionate-ness of the artillery response in wazir street (i have no war experience by the way) to operation david as illustrated.

and was reminded of the lt. col. burke's explanation, "one of our first rules is proportionality. a disproportionate response, like using an M1 tank [or in this case artillery] against a couple of lightly armed mujaheddin, turns us into Goliath. it is a great way to make the locals hate us so much they will fight us. it also makes us look like cowards."

is this a marine/army difference? thanks in advance for your explanations.

jkm_101_fso
08-25-2008, 04:39 PM
"The Defense of Jisr al Doreaa (http://www.smallwarsjournal.com/documents/jisaldoreaa.pdf)" by Captains Michael Burganoyne and Albert Markwardt is now posted at SWJ. Large file - over 6 mb...

Thanks Cavguy!

Dave

It's a little hokey, but a perfect read for brand new 2LTs headed over. I like the though progression used, tying in the overall theater strategy.

Tom Odom
08-25-2008, 04:46 PM
Although I am not a fan of Lind's 4GW model--the only thing that really makes sense to me is the quote, "My head hurts" above the insert on Operation David, I would not attribute the differences between that fictional vignette and the one we put in Wazir street to a difference between Marines and Army.

Understand that the motivation behind Wazir street was not fictional--it was personal in that the author had lost troops in combat who charged in when tactical patience would have achieved the sought after end state--killing the bad guys without killing civilians or losing friendlies. I believe that is a shared value between Marines and Army.

There is a decent discussion of Excalibur in USA Today

Tom


Army buys more accurate artillery shells (http://www.usatoday.com/news/military/2008-08-24-excalibur_N.htm)
By Tom Vanden Brook, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — The Army has accelerated purchasing a high-tech artillery shell that can be fired from as far away as 14 miles yet explode within 30 feet of its target to avoid civilian casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan, Army officials and analysts say.

An urgent request from commanders in Iraq for more accurate artillery to reduce civilian deaths prompted the Army to speed production of the Excalibur shells, according to the Government Accountability Office. In May, the Army awarded an $85 million contract to buy Excaliburs — the most ever spent for the shells.

jkm_101_fso
08-25-2008, 05:53 PM
Capt. Victor Scharstein, whose 1st Cavalry Division unit fired the Excalibur at insurgents in Baqouba, vouched for the shell's accuracy. "It may take me 20, 30, 40, 50, upward of 100 rounds to destroy a target" with conventional artillery, he said. "Now I'm attacking a target with one or two rounds."

My current BN CDR was the BDE FSO for Scharstein's unit...he had nothing but great things to say about the excalibur, other than the CFF needs to be extremely accurate.

Cavguy
08-25-2008, 06:35 PM
having just read fmfm 1a (http://www.d-n-i.net/fcs/pdf/fmfm_1-a.pdf), i couldn't help but notice the difference in the proportionate-ness of the artillery response in wazir street (i have no war experience by the way) to operation david as illustrated.

is this a marine/army difference? thanks in advance for your explanations.

Having served in MNF-W, the Marines have no more or less compunction than the Army in employing artillery or airstrikes in urban terrain when required.

The theater guidance is the same for all services. Implimentation rests on the front line commanders. I have never seen a systemic difference, but one that varied by the region each commander was in.

I will say I fired more arty and airstrikes in MNF-W in 2006 in a month than we did in all of Tal Afar over a year.

Finally, realize that employing GMLRS or Excalibur is far different than a conventional fire mission. Without going too far down the classifed route, these weapons have highly focused effects that minimize collateral damage.

Steve Blair
08-25-2008, 06:38 PM
Having served in MNF-W, the Marines have no more or less compunction than the army in employing artillery or airstrikes in urban terrain when required.

The theater guidance is the same for all services. Implimentation rests on the front line commanders. I have never seen a systemic difference, but one that varied by the region each commander was in.

I will say I fired more arty and airstrikes in MNF-W in 2006 in a month than we did in all of Tal Afar over a year.

Finally, realize that employing GMLRS or Excalibur is far different than a conventional fire mission. Without going too far down the classifed route, these weapons have highly focused effects that minimize collateral damage.

He's also referring to the DNI stuff, which is created for the 'notional' Austro-Hungarian Marine Corps....sort of Lind's play army when it comes to his theoretical writings. It can be hard to tell the difference, especially if you just pick up one of those things without the cover...something that makes one wonder at times.

Cavguy
08-25-2008, 07:04 PM
He's also referring to the DNI stuff, which is created for the 'notional' Austro-Hungarian Marine Corps....sort of Lind's play army when it comes to his theoretical writings. It can be hard to tell the difference, especially if you just pick up one of those things without the cover...something that makes one wonder at times.

Ahhh ... DNI

I have read that paper before. I guess it put me off at the beginning with this:


America's greatest military theorist, Air Force Colonel John Boyd, used to say,

That said, overall it's not bad.

Most of the concepts are sound counterinsurgency guidance dating back to the 60's, with the requisite DNI 4GW propaganda mixed in to make it seem "new".

Stan
08-25-2008, 07:20 PM
It's also on the http://coin.army.mil AKO and sharepoint. It's UNCLASS, so I will send it to the Admins if nothing else.

This has absolutely nothing to do with this thread, but, gotta say...

Love that hat :)

Nice pic too !

Steve Blair
08-25-2008, 07:30 PM
This has absolutely nothing to do with this thread, but, gotta say...

Love that hat :)

Nice pic too !

He might just love the smell of napalm in the morning, too....if he surfs, that is....

(sorry, but I had slip in the Apocalypse Now reference...)

Cavguy
08-25-2008, 09:02 PM
He might just love the smell of napalm in the morning, too....if he surfs, that is....

(sorry, but I had slip in the Apocalypse Now reference...)

Not to stray too far O/T, but I couldn't resist.

This was the last slide from my Armor Conference presentation this year ...

Umar Al-Mokhtār
08-25-2008, 11:05 PM
the current SCU: Schofield Combat Uniform. Blends in well during late night tacops in the Fort DeRussy AO. :D

Juan Rico
08-26-2008, 07:30 AM
thank you, fellas... i confused the word artillery from excalibur's actual potential (these videos are better than any spring break group amateur porn ;) )

V-lj5QvZYBo
Bvf5aAabkhM

Stan
08-26-2008, 12:54 PM
Hey Juan Rico !
Great videos, thanks !

Holy Moses, $39K for a 155 round with a typical 3-setting fuse, and up to 13 feet from target :eek:

Have we removed map reading and 8-digit coords from Arty training ? Once upon a time, 8 digits were within 10 meters. Jeez, what happened to map reading in BCT :confused:

jkm_101_fso
08-26-2008, 01:10 PM
Holy Moses, $39K for a 155 round with a typical 3-setting fuse, and up to 13 feet from target :eek

Consider that the Excalibur is another attempt by the Artillery to stay relevant


Have we removed map reading and 8-digit coords from Arty training ? Once upon a time, 8 digits were within 10 meters. Jeez, what happened to map reading in BCT

No, map reading has not been removed from FA school...13F and 2LTs still learn how to CFF using a map, mil compass and terrain sketch. The issue with Excalibur is that when CFF using grid, don't give the grid to the front of the building...you must figure out the 10 digit to the center of the building. Precision is the goal...minimizing collateral damage.

Stan
08-26-2008, 04:45 PM
Consider that the Excalibur is another attempt by the Artillery to stay relevant.

No, map reading has not been removed from FA school...13F and 2LTs still learn how to CFF using a map, mil compass and terrain sketch. The issue with Excalibur is that when CFF using grid, don't give the grid to the front of the building...you must figure out the 10 digit to the center of the building. Precision is the goal...minimizing collateral damage.

JKM, Don't want to date myself herein (although I much younger than Ken), but in Korea (late 70s) 2 clicks from the DMZ, were 2 crusty old E-7s with 4P1 that could send an 8 inch (charge 5) to an otherwise (ahem) uninhabited island and slap a nat's butt off a daisy :cool:. On the other hand, when the ROK Koreans neglected to cut off bags 6 and 7, a few "practice" rounds kinda sorta overshot (by 5 miles) the uninhabited island :o

Raining Arty and setting fuses is an art that only a sniper could even remotely relate to. The Excalibur is more than 20 times the cost of a HC round and has merely replaced what those kids should be learning with a pencil and pad.

Ken White
08-26-2008, 05:03 PM
Raining Arty and setting fuses is an art that only a sniper could even remotely relate to. The Excalibur is more than 20 times the cost of a HC round and has merely replaced what those kids should be learning with a pencil and pad.Too true. We refuse to spend money on decent training but will spend megabucks on high tech items that compensate for training shortfalls (to an extent). :mad:

Not that training flows cash benefits to only a very few Congressional districts whereas high tech stuff with lots of sub-contractors send bucks to many... :rolleyes:

Cavguy
08-26-2008, 05:23 PM
Too true. We refuse to spend money on decent training but will spend megabucks on high tech items that compensate for training shortfalls (to an extent). :mad:

Not that training flows cash benefits to only a very few Congressional districts whereas high tech stuff with lots of sub-contractors send bucks to many... :rolleyes:

Have to disagree with both of you, sometimes the curmudgeon/ "back in my day" aspect shows a little much. While there are many issues with the artillery skillsets (stemming from its employment as infantry the past years), don't blame the round, it is not a fix for poor artillery skills. And our guys are still precise with standard HE fires - within 50m of target (usually less). That is great for conventional employment, but hits an entirely different building in urban terrain.

Excalibur is more precise than even the best planned fire missions because it adjusts itself in the terminal flight - regardless of a sudden wind gust or bad barometric data or even (depends) wrong charge.

I know we have a taste for technical solutions to training problems (another discussion). But don't use that to slam a round that performs a critical service. With Excalibur we can virtually ensure first round effects that minimize collateral damage within a few feet of a 10 digit grid every time with extremely rare exception. I can't say the same for standard HE.

Stan
08-26-2008, 06:01 PM
Have to disagree with both of you, sometimes the curmudgeon/ "back in my day" aspect shows a little much. While there are many issues with the artillery skillsets (stemming from its employment as infantry the past years), don't blame the round, it is not a fix for poor artillery skills. And our guys are still precise with standard HE fires - within 50m of target (usually less). That is great for conventional employment, but hits an entirely different building in urban terrain.

I knew this would come back to bite me (errr Ken).
Hey, Cavguy, it's not my fault they built those houses soooo close together :D


Excalibur is more precise than even the best planned fire missions because it adjusts itself in the terminal flight - regardless of a sudden wind gust or bad barometric data or even (depends) wrong charge.

I know we have a taste for technical solutions to training problems (another discussion). But don't use that to slam a round that performs a critical service. With Excalibur we can virtually ensure first round effects that minimize collateral damage within a few feet of a 10 digit grid every time with extremely rare exception. I can't say the same for standard HE.

Seems to me that collateral damage now runs our political will back home, and funds our acquisitions (munitions) while abroad (39K a round is a tad high).

Ken White
08-26-2008, 06:03 PM
Have to disagree with both of you.Lots of people do. My Wife thinks I go out of my way to encourage it...:D
...sometimes the curmudgeon/ "back in my day" aspect shows a little much. Sometimes the "that was then this is now" and the "we're a lot smarter than that nowadays" syndromes do as well. ;) Warfare doesn't change that much, nor do people. Cities are cities. Yeah, we do have wall to wall media coverage and relations and a changed view of whats acceptable in war and killing innocent civilians -- but I'm aware of that.
...While there are many issues with the artillery skillsets (stemming from its employment as infantry the past years), don't blame the round, it is not a fix for poor artillery skills. And our guys are still precise with standard HE fires - within 50m of target (usually less). That is great for conventional employment, but hits an entirely different building in urban terrain.You misconstrue -- I'm not knocking the round, it has its uses and I don't question that.

However, I know (not from experience, from observation today, 26 Aug 08 - and this is a human being / human nature, not a military, comment) that the best solution that is simplest for most people and will provide the most legal and PR cover in event of a flap will always be selected. Even if it is massive overkill (no pun intended).

I also know that best is enemy of good enough...
I know we have a taste for technical solutions to training problems (another discussion). But don't use that to slam a round that performs a critical service. With Excalibur we can virtually ensure first round effects that minimize collateral damage within a few feet of a 10 digit grid every time with extremely rare exception. I can't say the same for standard HE.I can't either. I can say that your ten digit grid is a function of a mathematic and electronic marvel that GPS, laser ranging and a goniometer (three possibilities for minor error) and human interface (a fourth) that almost invariably does not translate to a map all that accurately (a fifth) and that such 'precision' is occasionally required but far more frequently is not needed though it may be almost always desired.

I'm not slamming the round, it's a good thing. I AM slamming the potential for excessive use of an expensive round for PR, liability and other less savory reasons when conventional rounds would suffice. More importantly, I'm slamming a desire for tech solutions -- but that, as you say, is another discussion.

Two different things.

jkm_101_fso
08-26-2008, 09:42 PM
I'm not slamming the round, it's a good thing. I AM slamming the potential for excessive use of an expensive round for PR, liability and other less savory reasons when conventional rounds would suffice.

As an artillerymen, I can assure you that if I've got the opportunity to mass fires with cheap HE, I will. I would rather call "Left 50, Fire for Effect", with a six-gun battery shooting, than give a 10 digit for a "one and done" Excalibur.

But, sometimes you gotta use the expensive toys; if that means no one innocent gets hurt or killed or their possessions aren't destroyed, then it's probably a good idea to use the EXCAL.

Ken White
08-26-2008, 10:09 PM
But, if it means that innocent people won't be killed or maimed, or their homes and possessions won't be destroyed, then I will fire the expensive round...if that was one of the "unsavory reasons" you were referring to.It was not. That's a savory reason. OTOH, to plop it in just because it is semi-surgical when there is a less firepower intensive (to include no Arty at all...) option borders on the unsavory. To call for one on no more than a suspicion that it might get some unsociable characters is even less savory; to use one to cover other er, uhm, errors is unsavory.
One of the many things that suck about war is that it happens to be expensive. The effects of inflicting collateral damage on the population will be much more expensive in the long run than an artillery round that costs $38K.Totally agree on both of those statements; the cost of the round is not IMO an issue. In fact, that cost will be a factor in eliminating some of my (very minor) concerns about overuse because the criteria for use will be tightened and, as long as we don't go overboard, that's a good thing.

Your second concern mirrors mine also on the overuse possibility -- and it is no more than a human nature based possibility; it is not a fact. I merely was making a cautionary statement, no more. That and noting that our penchant for tech solutions to training problems (another discussion, as said) is, IMO, problematic; no intent to pick on the round per se; just sniping at sometimes excess capability

Also, I think most Artillerymen would agree with your opening statement on a battery volley. Grunts and Tankers OTOH can influence what's called for, thus the slight possibility of misuse I cited...

ADDED: I also agree with your edit. All the above was based on the original posting.

RTK
08-27-2008, 01:22 AM
Sometimes the "that was then this is now" and the "we're a lot smarter than that nowadays" syndromes do as well. ;)

I love this place. Where else could a thread about a tactical decision exercise morph into the "my generation could beat up your generation" thread? :D:D:D

Ken White
08-27-2008, 02:01 AM
one should address the comment and not the one who made the comment. :wry:

Address not less ye be addressed. ;)