Dear RTK:

Right; and i might add that as a tactical battalion commander in Baghdad in 2006 the training that i drew most on was of the combat fundamentals that you describe in your posting. I drew most on the things i learned in the armor officer basic course; how to do TLPs, how to conduct fire and maneuver; how to talk to a company commander on the radio. I drew most on the things that i learned in the Infantry Officer Advanced course like how to do a commander's estimate. I drew most on the things that i learned as a Cavalry Squadron S-3 under a superb Squadron commander who taught me how to command and control a large tactical organization. Those are the types of things i drew on most and i am most happy to hear that they are still the focus at the great armor school of which you play such an important role in teaching our young officers.

And for whatever it is worth, if i was still in Iraq and in command and someone asked me what should new combat lts be trained on I would have said almost verbatim what you say in your posting that the baseline for training is still HIC. That in my mind is the right answer!!!

Unfortunately, beyond your classroom and the halls of the armor and infantry schools counterinsurgency doctrine has become dominant in our army. It has become so dominant that at higher levels of command it has pushed us toward dogmatism and limits our ability to think creatively. You might also be accused by the high-priests of coin doctrine that you are part of the problem of the still conventionally minded American army who only wants to go out and fight Kursk-like battles and just dont "get it."

Perhaps you should have appeared on the Daily Show.

Great to hear from you and keep up your most important work.