Are snipers and recon still valid in infantry battalions?

[Granite_State]

http://www.stripes.com/army-looks-to...anies-1.419337

The Army is moving to cut all nine of its Long-Range Surveillance companies from active duty and the National Guard this year as part of a plan to restructure its force, Army officials told Stars and Stripes.

The Pentagon will finalize a decision to deactivate three active-duty and six National Guard Long-Range Surveillance companies in the next 60 days.

“Every year there are capabilities that must be added, but unfortunately this means the Army must divest some,” Army spokesman Troy Rolan said. Commanders identified operational LRS units as a low priority, he said, adding that the decision to cut LRS companies was aided by “extensive computer models using combatant commander plans to determine what the Army needs.”

“What’s the price in blood we’re going to pay when we have to retrain soldiers to do the things we lost?” he asked.

[Compost]

Disbanding Army and Guard long-range surveillance companies could free-up skilled personnel for posting to reconnaissance and observation/sniper sections in infantry battalions.

Long-range needs seem to now be mostly assigned to RSTA and air cavalry units, and on occasion special forces.

[Morgan]

Given the capabilities of conventional forces to do what current Ranger Battalions do (airfield seizures, deep raids, etc....think 82d, 101st), why not reorganize the 75th RGT in the following manner: 1-75 remains as currently organized and serves as the US Army's primary direct action/airfield seizing/ HVT raid bubbas while 2-75 and 3-75 are redistributed among the Army, active and reserve component (at division and corps levels), as LRS companies, which is part of the core function of Ranger units...? This would also reduce redundancy between current LRS companies and Ranger BN elements.

[Compost]

The merger of Long-Range Surveillance Companies into Ranger units would serve the apparent Joint Force practice of enlarging the extent of USSOCOM at the cost of the individual services.

If that is continued for several more years then USSOCOM could grow to rival the USMC, and after further transfer of motivated and skilled personnel the US Army infantry battalions might be re-roled as training units.

[Granite_State]

The merger of Long-Range Surveillance Companies into Ranger units would serve the apparent Joint Force practice of enlarging the extent of USSOCOM at the cost of the individual services.

If that is continued for several more years then USSOCOM could grow to rival the USMC, and after further transfer of motivated and skilled personnel the US Army infantry battalions might be re-roled as training units.

That's certainly the direction we're heading.

[davidbfpo]

Maybe peripheral, but I have added a link to a review of a book by a South African recce veteran, as it is topical and covers small team work:http://scientiamilitaria.journals.ac...view/1133/1141

The book itself is 'Recce: Small team missions behind enemy lines' is an autobiography by Colonel (retired) Koos Stadler.

Amazon (US) shows the English version is due to be published in December 2016 and has reviews from the Afrikaans edition, yes in English:https://www.amazon.com/Recce-Small-M...s=koos+stadler

Amazon (UK):https://www.amazon.co.uk/Recce-Small...s=koos+stadler