This forum has - on average - a strong interest in what's happening, understanding the enemy and in combat troops (or patrol troops or actively policing troops, or whatever).


I wonder a bit whether this neglects too much.

The logistics and tooth-to-tail ratio problems are crying out loud in AFG and de facto everywhere in NATO forces.
Imagine the ISAF and OEF troops needed only one quarter as much fuel and half as much other supplies per day. Imagine also that the share of troops who are meant primarily for off-base duties was 50% bigger.

Many other problems - such as road security and low force density - would be drastically reduced and the force in-country as a whole would be much more oriented in its minds at what happens outside of the camp.


Here's an article on differences in efficiency in different countries (ignore the title):
http://www.defensenews.com/story.php...60&c=EUR&s=TOP


Armies are huge bureaucracies. You need to shake them badly in order to keep the wastage in check.