Our night vision capability gives our forces such a distinct advantage over the insurgents and the Taliban, that we can't pass up the opportunity to use it. The trouble is that we don't know when/how to stand down during the day. This is exacerbated by the guys in the TOC, who probably don't give a damn about sleep deprivation, nor its lingering effects, on the maneuver forces. So, they plan operations round the clock; and keep the officers and NCOs, who are commanding maneuver forces, in Prep mode or in extensive after-action debriefings when these guys should be getting some rest themselves.

"Fatigue makes cowards of us all!"

Everything I learned about the adverse consequences of sleep deprivation, I learned in Ranger School. Everything I learned about patrolling, tracking, concealment and intelligence gathering, I learned in Recondo School. In the former, we just endured and struggled to stay awake. In the latter, we got stronger, sharper, and better in every way every day. Every day, we crawled into covered and concealed positions at the end of Evening Nautical Twilight; and there we stayed, still and quiet, until the Beginning of Morning Nautical Twilight. (Of course, if Recondo Schools are still run today by Special Forces, I'm sure that Recondos are being trained to take advantage of Night Vision devices as well. I just hope that they are given enough rest to stay alert and to learn their craft.)

I do believe that the battalion S-1 and Medical Officer of each battalion should be monitoring the operational tempo of maneuver forces within the battalion; and should be able to alert the battalion commander and company commanders before their troops wear down. (It is not as easy to track, of course, but the battalion S-2 should be trying to do the same for known enemy forces.) I never saw nor heard of this being done during my limited time in active duty. In Vietnam and Korea, my units never sustained a high tempo of operations for more than a few days without a pause. [And we never (Vietnam) and rarely (Korea) maneuvered at night.] So, it did not seem necessary. But, since we have made it "normal" to do too much with too few troops for several years now, it should be a major responsibility for someone at staff level.