Two points here:
1 - if I had to 'demonstrate dominance' it could be tactically applied as a clearing patrol, you could secure an area for a period, you could disrupt an enemy force from an area, you could deny a threat group access, etc etc. Which leads me to:
2 - If your not going to do it in mid to high intensity warfare, why then do it at the lower level as a doctrinal undertaking? If my service went into a mid-level conflict environment, the presence patrolling concept would not get hung up but would stay as baggage as that is what has been taught, practiced and reinforced. The lessons would be learnt quickly but that's not the point (or perhaps it is the point - if we can learn the lessons now, when men aren't losing lives, the better off we are). Tactical task verbs (the ends) apply to all intensities of military operations, the means will change METT-TC dependent. I see 'presence patrolling' as a means elevated to an ends, and for the reasons outlined above I don't like it.
Good point, I wish someone had explained it this way to me before.
I don't know if I'm arguing over or around you as I'm in agreement with 90% of what your saying. Yes, presence is synergistic and beneficial so why define your patrol by it's second-order effect? If it's a clearance patrol then clear - and if you need to be overt for reasons of 'presence' in order to do so inside the COIN environment, go ahead.
I like the 'overt/covert' classification but that's an armchair perspective with no supporting experience. I agree with your point made elsewhere that it may be tomatoes/tomatos - it's the same thing and you can call it what you want but doing it well is the problem.Quote:
We now categorize patrols by intended function, combat or reconnaissance, that based on years of experience in major combat operations. You seem to want to categorize them by movement methodology. I'm not certain there's much benefit there. Probably not enough to rewrite most of the relevant manuals, doctrine and training materials in the west...:wry:
My main point on presence patrolling remains, and I'm interested in the counter-views (what can I say, I'm a sucker for punishment :)).