Personal Security Teams for BN COs

[Cavguy]

Now I know LTC Nagl got out quite a bit, as do many other LTCs and SGMs...but do they all? I'm not pointing fingers, nor casting aspersions on anyone's bravery, but speculating on what are organizational realities.

I'll state that in the course of two tours and 29 months in Iraq, all maneuver commanders up to BDE level were out almost daily, maybe taking 1 day off a week. This applies under under 1AD, 2ACR, 101st ABN(AA), 172d Stryker, 1 MEF, and 2 MEF.

I have never seen the "helicopter commanders" of 'Nam lore or anything else. My OIF 1 commander patrolled twice daily and was at the forefront of every fight against the Sadr Militia in April-June 2004. My OIF 05-07 commander was out daily and lived in the same compound with his IA BDE CDR and town mayor in Tal Afar. I lived an outpost in the Tal Afar Granary with my IA BN CDR.

I never saw any other units where the commander could be described as a fobbit. The logistics CO's didn't get out as much, but I know they took convoys as well. They also didn't have responsibilities for terrain outside the wire. Log units may be different, but almost every combat arms commander I have seen is out there in his sector almost daily up to BDE Level. Even the Division GO's were flying and accompanying patrols several times a week. BG Neller, 1 MEF ADC, was constantly on the road in Anbar with his PSD. BG Oates in the 101st was the same.

I just haven't seen it. Maybe there are a few "fobbit" maneuver commanders out there, but it's by far not the norm.

Rob, RTK, and other soldiers may want to chime in with their experiences.