Germany (catch all, incl. terrorism)

[Leopard 2A4]

Hello @all...

no, I am not in kunduz right now. I am in good old germany!

The Beer Story: I had to smile while reading it. it´s true that we germans are allowed to drink two beer a day. Therefor we get so called ration cards. And two beers are not much. I think it´s ok! But believe me, you can find ways to get much more beer a day. You give the guys in the suply-chain some bugs and you get as much beer as you want to. An can remenmber at least five nights when I was drunk during my last tour. And there were a lot of americans drinking with us. As they recognized that the germans have beer they came everey evening and asked for some bottles. And on a few nights we sat togehther an had a lot o fun in unfunny environment...

The HQ-Story: In germany now, after the fuel-truck-strike by Col. Klein nearly every Officer in the HQ is affraid of ordering high intensively fire. They are afraid of killing civilians and getting fired or judged. So the troops outside the camp are often not enough secured in the background. It´s bad.
The german army has the so called "orders-tactic". That means you get an order to achieve a goal. And you can decide what is to do to achieve it. So the leaders in the field often decide to attack the enemy, while the career-type of officer in the HQ whants them to withdrawl. Just to avoid colateral casualties.

In germany, tactical dicisions are made by lawyers and not by military men...

RIP to the Cpt. who was killed by an IED on Wednesday...

[davidbfpo]

Fuchs,

I've spent sometime with an ex-SADF soldier who fought in Angola and he has vivid memories of attacking a camp (SWAPO?) where their usual sweep tactic failed when hitting an entrenched, well defended position and lost several dead in minutes. After a full attack, with support (K-Cars), they found it was a platoon of East German paratroopers, who had been acting as "hands on" trainers and not one survived.

I have a vague recollection of a presence in Ethiopia during the Ogaden conflict and will check around one day.

[Alsultani]

I spent some time with a German senior NCO last night comparing war stories. He is been in Kosovo, Macedonia, Congo and now here. He is tuned in and street smart.

I am a grad of US Army Infantry school at Benning and spent 5 years in US Mechanized Infantry during my younger years.

I have participated in platoon level tactical patrols with the German infantry protection company here. I have been very impressed and am well satisified with their force posture and ability to react effectively to contact. I would go out with them anywhere.

[RTK]

I got to spend time at the Fuhrengsakademie on exchange for two weeks this past year as well as working closely with quite a few German General Staff officers. I am impressed by their attention to detail, their ability to undertand the problem quickly, and their near-mathematical ability to construct and deconstruct all phases of the operation to understand shortcomings and provide recommendations. I'd be happy with them on my flank.

[Tukhachevskii]

I am impressed by their attention to detail, their ability to undertand the problem quickly, and their near-mathematical ability to construct and deconstruct all phases of the operation to understand shortcomings and provide recommendations.

Nice to know some things don't change. Beck would have been proud. It's a good thing so many Wehrmacht era officers were enrolled into the Bundeswehr so that traditions could find new bearers.