Search:

Type: Posts; User: Ken White; Keyword(s):

Search: Search took 0.14 seconds.

  1. Replies
    188
    Views
    193,816

    Obviously I was not clear. My apologies.

    I gave my guess on the troop overweight problem; I'm sure there are figures on the internet somewhere but I also see no point in searching for them as they'd change by the day.

    I provided the...
  2. Replies
    188
    Views
    193,816

    True. However, s few years have passed

    an things have changed. Made sense in WW II, today -- not so much but old habits die hard...
  3. Replies
    188
    Views
    193,816

    Heh. Funny to me, too. Also shows that Infantry action

    and reconnaissance / surveillance action requires a different mindset and training.

    As does SF FID / UW work and DA... :cool:

    It really pays to use the right tool for the job. The US Army's...
  4. Replies
    188
    Views
    193,816

    I resemble that remark...

    Or did, once upon a time. :cool:

    I don't know where on the anatomy to place these guys who'll operate a drone and shoot Hellfires at the unholy... LINK. :confused: :wry:
  5. Replies
    188
    Views
    193,816

    Why, they support. What else would they do?

    Aviation units maintain and fly aircraft; Engineers build stuff; Artillery shoots guns and rockets, Medical units keep the 'died of wounds' rate down in single figures, a worldwide wartime first;...
  6. Replies
    188
    Views
    193,816

    We're too rich and that makes us too fat...

    The problem is that politicians do not want to do that sort of thing in peacetime -- the Mothers of the Troops get all upset at a 1 or 2% killed loss in realistic training. As I said elsewhere, make...
  7. Replies
    188
    Views
    193,816

    Certainly. Easy, common sense fixes. However, the question then becomes

    will we solve it?

    I suspect not, lacking a major war. The US governmental system is purposely, slow, infinitely variable due to political whim and a short electoral cycle. It is also tilted...
  8. Replies
    188
    Views
    193,816

    Good ideas. But...

    It's the folks in the rear, about 70% of the deployed force, not the 30% that is actually performing active service. :rolleyes:Sorry, we used to do that. No more. The US culture of entitlement has...
  9. Replies
    188
    Views
    193,816

    Agreed, Jon.

    I also agree you don't have to practice being miserable but we've gone about fifty paces past that. It's okay to take care of the troops; Westmorleand did it well -- perhaps too well -- in Viet Nam....
  10. Replies
    188
    Views
    193,816

    Zis where I get to beat my "We are marginally trained" drum?

    Beats me -- what I cannot figure out is why any halfway decent Buck Sergeant tolerates that kind of 'structure.' Much less ANY of his superiors...

    Though perhaps they did a rotation through...
  11. Replies
    188
    Views
    193,816

    Police adviser I think...

    Ain't he cute? :D

    Or were you addressing the RPG Magnet. That's what we called em in Veet Nam -- proving that we don't learn lessons well...

    P.S. Or he could be USAF...
  12. Replies
    188
    Views
    193,816

    Yep, Jon...

    Khe Sanh and the A Shau were a couple of many attempts to coax the VC and / or the NVA -- the two were not synonymous nor always cooperating effectively -- into big battles. Never really worked. ...
  13. Replies
    188
    Views
    193,816

    I can agree with all that, Bill

    Noting that you had to specify Marine recon and 'good' US Army light units. I'd only suggest that Marine Rifle Companies and average or even poor US Army Light Units ought to be able to do that...
  14. Replies
    188
    Views
    193,816

    Clarity is my muddle name...

    I think COPs are dumb mostly because I've never seen them accomplish the goals usually stated for their existence (with the exception below) and due to the fact I spent a lot of time in 1966 as a...
  15. Replies
    188
    Views
    193,816

    Did I mention...

    We've also forgotten, unbelievably, that installations and that's what we're building -- installations in a COIN fight, fer chissakes, -- are static and invite attack and that if they are located in...
  16. Replies
    188
    Views
    193,816

    Yes. Again.

    True. That's what happens when you don't conduct patrols. Not that the US Army hasn't learned that lesson literally thousands of times before... :(
  17. Replies
    188
    Views
    193,816

    Yes. Even better -- don't do fixed bases in bad places...

    All true.Yes...
  18. Replies
    188
    Views
    193,816

    Ab so lutely. IF the current personnel and rank system remains in place.

    I totally agree. I've been both a Bn and a Bde CSM in peacetime in and in combat; three Bns, two Bdes. The Bde CSM is a totally wasted slot. A Bde CSM has a lot of negative influence but very...
  19. Replies
    188
    Views
    193,816

    You'll be pleased to know

    I just heard second hand a recent pre-command course addressed by a very senior NCO was informed that if the prospective Commanders went on a FOB and the troops were wearing their pouches and gear in...
  20. Replies
    188
    Views
    193,816

    Yep

    Less than 24 will leave them unable to do a decent recon and it will also not allow your troops to get into a routine. Keeps the opponent off balance which is where we should always try to place...
  21. Replies
    188
    Views
    193,816

    Good job, Niel,

    that is a far more accurate and significant comment than many will believe...Or the force we do have isn't as credible as we'd like to think it is... :(Yes!.................Money quote!................
  22. Replies
    188
    Views
    193,816

    Sounds like to me that somebody needs to do

    a map recon and then apply some basic METT-TC considerations.

    The US, NATO, other Coalition Members and the Afghan government do not and will not have enough force to do the population centric...
  23. Replies
    188
    Views
    193,816

    One batch

    at the LINK
  24. Replies
    188
    Views
    193,816

    That's scary.

    Good MSM snark line, poor serious comment IMO. Dana Milbank will love it, tho'... :D

    All of the questions you pose will likely be asked by the ignorant (read MSM, Congress, WH Staffers) so for...
Results 1 to 24 of 24