However, two points occur to me. First, that in combat, while the old METT-TC rules and a good commander can make most anything work, it is foolish to design for the latter factor (given mandatory democratic nation personnel policies) and too many folks, even experienced people who should know better, lose sight of the former factor...

Secondly, we make an error, I think, in designing a lot of stuff during peace time that does not work well in combat. The bureaucratic tradeoffs necessary in organizing, funding, staffing and just getting things done in peace can -- should -- disappear in combat and thus the operational rules can and will differ. Unfortunately, I doubt there's any way around that.

Fortunately, the troops most always make it work in spite of the impediments.