Could the CAP concept work in Afghanistan?

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This thread was created after the issue started in 2012 on a separate thread reviewing the book 'The Village': http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ad.php?t=14702 (Mod ends)


As "Combat" Forces pull out by the end of 2014, do we bring the CAP back in support of SOF & ETTs?

If so what would they look like? The Vietnam model was 15 Marines: a 13man Rifle squad w/a Navy Corpsman & a Grenadier.

I would say the 2014 CAP Plt would have to be slightly more robust w/18 to 20 Marines.

I'd start w/the 13man RS + 1 Corpsman. To add to that I'd pull 4 Infantryman fr/the Weapons: 1 to act Squad Designated Marksman in exchange for the old school Grenadier, 1 to act as RTO (0341 FO, LCpl-Cpl), 1 trained to handle basic Intel (C-LIC), 1 I'd send to the 3-6wk Sapper Course.

With so much being done w/vehicles now it would be nice to have at least 1 truck to support patrols as a Fire Support Platform. W/that said it would be nice to have 1 Motor T Lance Cpl knowledgeable in 1st/2nd Echelon Field Expedient Maintenance.

20 could be seen slightly unwieldy but 4 would be mostly post positions, but as Infantryman able to step into patrol or QRF.

What do you think?